On Thursday, September 25, 2025, Deacon Thomas "Jimmy" Fields departed this life and transitioned to his Heavenly home. Jimmy was born in Caroline County, Virginia on March 13, 1927, to the late Reverend Wortham Fields Sr. and Bertha Dodson Fields. He was the sixth of eleven children, all of whom preceded him in death (Eunice, Malcolm, Elizabeth, Ruby, Wortham Jr., Evelyn, Hobert, Wilbert, Lloyd, and John). He was also preceded in death by one son, Michael Fields Sr. and two daughters-in-law, Joyce and Cynthia.

Educated in the Caroline County School System, Jimmy's life took a pivotal turn when the Little Bethel School joined with the surrounding community schools for their annual celebration. Among the gathered students, he noticed a pretty young lady from Dawn #4 School named Irene Quash. Their eyes met, he winked, and the rest became a love story. On March 27, 1948, Jimmy and Irene were united in marriage, a covenant recently recognized as the longest marriage in Virginia, spanning an extraordinary 77 years.

On November 6, 1945, Jimmy was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving as a Military Policeman during the post-war occupation of Germany. He was honorably discharged on November 1, 1946. Upon his return, he gained employment at the Hot Springs Hotel before moving on to the RF& P Railroad. In July 1955, after hearing from his brothers-in-law about job opportunities in New York, Jimmy wasted no time moving his young family to the "Big Apple." There he worked first at Meyer's 1890 before finding his true calling as a driver for the New York City Transit Authority. After 20 years of dedicated service, he retired on January 1, 1984. That June, Jimmy and Irene returned home to Dawn, Virginia, where he planted deeper roots in faith, family, and community. He accepted Christ at an early age at Mount Tabor Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. S.H. Carter. Later, he was ordained a deacon at Evangel Baptist Church in Laurelton, New York. Upon returning to Virginia, he and Irene joined Second Mount Zion Baptist Church, where he served faithfully as Co-Chair of the Deacon Board, leader of the Bus Ministry, the Men's Fellowship, and member of the Men's Chorus. Jimmy was deeply committed to community service. He and Irene were strong advocates for the Dawn community, contributing to projects such as the Dawn Wastewater Project and serving actively with the Dawn Progressive Association. He was a Lifetime Member of the NAACP. His greatest passion, however, was serving as an EMT with the Frog Level Volunteer Rescue Squad. Beyond his service, Jimmy was known as a skilled athlete. A legendary shortstop, he played for both the Dawn Sliders and the Hanover Dodgers. A true sports fan, he faithfully cheered for the Miami Dolphins, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jimmy leaves to cherish his memory: his devoted wife of 77 years, Irene; two sons, Marvin and Martin; seven grandchildren, Michael Jr. (Franchell), Kendra, Mica, Duane (Sheree), Shermaine, Marquita, and Shana (Dami); eighteen great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Aretha, Mozelle and Rose; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends. He will also be remembered with love by his devoted goddaughter, Harolynn Quash. A special thank you to his dedicated caretakers: Marquita Fields, Shermaine Fields, Kendra Fields, Jamir Hawkins, Patricia Robinson, Barbara Goodall, Brenda Harris, Ertell Lee, and Julia Johnson. Jimmy's life was one of service, faith, and love. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.