John H. Fields, 86, passed away on Friday, March 13 of multiple myeloma, surrounded by love from his family. He is survived by his sons Herb, Jack (Lyn), Lee (Mindy), Edwin (Aramide) and Brian (Krestin), stepdaughter Angela, and eleven grandkids ranging from 1 to 28 years old. John was preceded in death by his beloved parents Walter and Gladys Fields, grandma “Mamie” Apple, wife Shirley, and cherished daughter Barbie.
John was born August 16, 1933 in Kansas City, Kansas and lived in KCK his entire life except during service in the military. He attended Wyandotte High School, two years of junior college, and then the University of Kansas for undergraduate and law school, graduating number one in his law school class. Thereafter, he served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1958 to 1961 as a First Lieutenant in the First Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. He was an old-school genuine trial lawyer, having tried hundreds of cases in courts across Kansas, and argued scores of cases before the Kansas Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals. He enjoyed the intellectual challenge of digging into his law books, and absorbing the smallest details of every case. Through dogged preparation, he earned a reputation of winning more than his fair share of “unwinnable” cases. His peers explained how he could accomplish this by saying, “sometimes you have to bet on the jockey.”
He loved sports, especially the KU Jayhawks and coaching his kids’ teams, and later watching his grandkids’ sporting events. He grew up hunting and fishing with his family, taking his boys on unforgettable fishing trips to Canada. John was happiest when he piddled at his farms in his overalls, building barns and chicken coops, tinkering with gates and fences, planting trees, tending to his dog cemetery, burning brush, and so much more. He was a huge dog lover. He doted over his numerous other “pets” through the years, which included exotic chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys, quail, pheasants, finch, goats, pigs, and wild mustangs, giving them notable well-deserved names. He was an avid gardener who loved to grow unusual flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables, often starting them from seed just to prove he could. He was an excellent cook and taught his family the joy of cooking and eating well together.
John had a gift of storytelling and a fantastic wit. He made mundane topics interesting and funny. He enriched his family and friends with his life’s stories, which they will sorely miss. He was a patriotic and generous man who donated to many charities throughout his life.
During his final illness, he greatly appreciated the care of the staff at the infusion clinic, and the wonderful nurses on the fourth floor of the Neuroscience Institute at St. Luke’s Hospital.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the charity of your choice or the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center, 4101 4th Street Trafficway, Leavenworth, KS 66048, (913) 682-2000 ext. 52017, https://www.leavenworth.va.gov/giving/index.asp.
Because of the current coronavirus circumstances, a Memorial Service for immediate-family-only will be at Porter Funeral Home, 1835 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102. As a tribute to John’s distinguished career, the funeral procession will pass him by the Wyandotte County Courthouse for a final farewell. A burial will follow at Chapel Hill Cemetery, 701 N. 94th Street, Kansas City, KS 66112.