Frank “Lightning” Cleveland Fields Sr.

Frank Cleveland Fields Sr. was born to the late Grover Cleveland Fields and Mattie James Thompson Fields on July 31, 1922, in Lillie, Louisiana. He was preceded in death by his aforementioned parents, son Frank Cleveland Fields Jr., sisters Loree Fields, Eudoxie Neel Fields, Cloria Fields, a brother George E. Fields and a dear Sister-in-Law Illean Harris.

He accepted Christ at an early age at Fellowship Baptist Church in Lillie, Louisiana, under the leadership of Rev. Morgan. He was educated at the Fellowship Colored School in Junction City, Arkansas, where he graduated in 1942. After High school, he joined the military as an ARMY Military Policeman from 1942 – 1945 during World War II. One of his military saying he would always share, “The Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away.”

After being discharged from the military, he attended a trade school in El Dorado, where he received an auto mechanic certificate. Mr. Fields had a love for working on cars, which he referred to as “A Gasoline Engine.” He was the 17th Streetmechanic in Pine Bluff, where he moved to in 1968. He loved working on any type of “Gasoline Engine” (car, truck, lawnmower, tractor, tiller, motorcycles).

Mr. Fields worked for Jack England Poultry Processing Plant in El Dorado from 1951- 1968 as a Maintenance worker and was later asked to move to Pine Bluff to become the Maintenance guy for the new Poultry Processing Plant on 6th Street known as Val, Mac, Tasty Bird and now Tyson Foods. His work ethic in maintenance and meat processing was so phenomenal that he was promoted to Line Supervisor; not only that, Mr. Fields played a part in USDA putting the stamp of approval for the chicken to be sold on the market around Spring of 1968. He retired in 1987 from Tyson Foods after working 36 years in Poultry Processing. After retiring from Tyson Foods, he continued his love/hobby for working on “Gasoline Engines.”  March 16, 1948, he was united in Holy Matrimony to Alta Mary Allen Fields.

Those left to cherish his unforgettable legacy and precious memories: his wife of 72 years, Alta Mary Fields; one daughter Mary Alice (Floyd) Fields Davis, Junction City AR.; 5 sons, James Earl “Rat” (Demetrius) Fields Stockton CA; Arelius (Bernedette) Fields, Pine Bluff, AR; Sammy “MoJo” (Nancy) Fields, Rodney (Linda) Fields both of Marion AR; Terry Fields Junction City, LA; one brother, Elijah James (Marie) Fields, Baltimore, MD; 18 Grandchildren and 23 Great-Grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Frank Sr. “FC” was loved dearly by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.