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Gene Fields, 81, a resident of Albuquerque, died Friday, September 3, 2010. He is survived by his son Richard; his two granddaughters, Hillary and Allison; his sister Dolores; and his brother Leslie. Gene was preceded in death by his wife, Pat in 2001. Gene was born in Springfield, MO, to Clarence and Glennie. His dad moved the family to Santa Fe, NM during the depression to ensure a continuing job. Gene's first job was at Pflueger's Shoe Shop in Santa Fe, where he earned money to support his hobbies of stamp and record collecting. He took to the arts and especially to classical music and opera, which he listened to on the radio. He was valedictorian of his Santa Fe High School class and for his test scores he received a national scholarship from Pepsi-Cola which allowed him to graduate in Music from Southern Methodist University. His first job as junior high teacher of music/chorus in Alva Oklahoma was interrupted by the Korean conflict. He was drafted into the Army where he was assigned to and completed Medical Tech School, but at the last second was spared Korea itself due to his typing skills. Reassigned as clerk/typist to a unit going to Europe, he spent a glorious year taking in every orchestra and opera he could get to in Germany and Austria. Discharged as a corporal just prior to his second service anniversary, he continued in the Army Active Reserve (finally discharged as a sergeant) while returning to school to get his Master's in Music from University of New Mexico. He met his wife Pat while he was choir director of St. John's Methodist Church in Santa Fe. Pat was in the choir and while it took him a little time to get up the nerve to ask her out their first date kicked off a whirlwind romance that resulted in him proposing after only two weeks. They married in 1955 and moved to Raton NM where he taught junior high and high school music/chorus, and where his only child Richard was born. Gene returned to school again in 1961 to get his Doctorate in Music Education, also from UNM, and after graduating in 1965 spent the rest of his career as a professor at what is now University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg MO, where he was in charge of teacher certification. He retired back to NM in 1993. He had been active in the choir at First United Methodist Church until his health required a move into Los Colinas Village; while there he led a member's choir, and also joined the senior ministry of Christian Fellowship Church. In 2009 he moved to The Montebello on Academy. Memorial services will be held Sunday, September, 12, 2010, 3:00 p.m., at Christian Fellowship Church, 3901 Claremont Ave NE. Please visit our online guestbook for Gene at RememberTheirStory.com French 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE (505) 275-3500
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