Obituary: Don Fields, October 10, 2011 Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines Feb 2015 ************************************************************* The Observer/Enterprise October 14, 2011 Part of Don's family moved to Coke County in 1893. His great-grandmother Brown came from Brown County with four children and a hundred horses. She sold the horses and purchased a section of land in Edith, Texas. It started from Dripping Springs Road to Fields Lane to the west and down to Collier Lane on the north. Don was born on December 25, 1933, in the family house (where the Bentons live (in 2011) off Dripping Springs Road). When great-grandmother Brown died, his grandmother, Kelly Brown Fields (Hubert) got the west half section and the other half section was sold. When grandmother Fields moved into Robert Lee, Don purchased the "home place" and has operated it and two other parcels of land until his death on October 10, 2011. He loved cattle from the time he was old enough to stand at the ranch house screen door and watch them go by. His mother told me his first word was "cow". His father, Buster Fields, was foreman for the Saul Ranch (Harris Ranch) for many years. Don graduated from the Robert Lee schools and also graduated from Texas Tech. He then returned home and worked in the USDA office until he retired in the early 1990's. He and Troy Wimberley formed a partnership in 1981 and established Salt Creek Beefmasters. These cattle were the pride of his life. It truly upset him to reduce the size of the herd from over 100 registered cows down to 29 mother cows. The reduction was due to the drought and the recent fires. All he ever wanted was to produce noteworthy cattle. In this he did succeed. Salt Creek Beefmasters has an outstanding reputation within the industry. Don was probably one of the best 3 or 4 cowmen in the industry. He passed on too early from his friend's point of view; however, he went the way he wanted. He was feeding his cattle when he began to feel poorly. He was in the truck going to another pasture when he died. It went very quickly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Buster and Zera Fields. He is survived by his long term partner, Troy Wimberley. He was an only child, but had many cousins. From his mother's side of the family, he leaves his cousin Max Brown and his family. Max was more like a brother than a cousin. On his father's side, he leaves two aunts, Dale Fields and Lara Fields. He also leaves cousins; Albert Dale and James Fields, Bobbie Box, Lynn Davidson, Jamie Kay Jones, Freddy Fields, and Jerry Fields. Arrangements were handled by Shaffer Funeral Home, Robert Lee. Visitation was Wednesday, October 12, 2011, at the funeral home with the family present from 6 pm to 7 pm. A graveside service and burial was held on Thursday, October 13, 2011, at 2 pm at Paint Creek Cemetery in Edith, Texas. Pallbearers were Donnie Devoll, Larry Martin, George Grim, John Stephens, Kenneth Lackey, Eph Cummins, and Daryl Copeland. Services were conducted by Mike Burson. *************************** Permission granted by The Observer/Enterprise for publication in the Coke County TXGenWeb and/or the Coke County Archives of the USGenWeb. Copyright. All rights reserved.