Elaine Fields

A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10:00 AM at St. Landry Catholic Church.  Elaine Louise Voitier Fields was born on September 20, 1928 and passed away on February 23, 2020 at the age of 91. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband William Armand Fields, her daughter Claudia Lyn Fields and her son Robert Christopher Fields.

After graduating from Southwestern Louisiana Institute, Elaine’s first teaching position was at Port Barre High School. She then moved to the Academy of the Immaculate Conception where she started the first kindergarten class of 40 students without benefit of aides. Mrs. Fields later taught American Government and Civics at Opelousas Catholic, Holy Ghost Catholic School, and the Academy of the Sacred Heart. Mrs. Fields coached her daughters on the girls’ basketball team at OC while attending and keeping score at all of her four sons’ football, basketball, and baseball games.

Mrs. Fields’ greatest joy was sitting on the sidelines or in the bleachers of her children’s and grandchildren’s various sporting events. She was an excellent athlete herself earning All-State honors in basketball while a student at AIC. Later in life she enjoyed nothing more than rooting for her beloved Coach K and his Duke Blue Devils.

Mrs. Fields and her husband established the Opelousas Area Cerebral Palsy Clinic in 1954 after their first child, Claudia, was born with cerebral palsy. With the help, support, and love of the entire Opelousas community, the Clinic is still in existence and serving all in need, free of charge.

Her life was one of service, truly living out the works of mercy that she so embodied. She lived her life for her children, her grandchildren, and for her Catholic faith that she loved above all else.

She is survived by sons William Timothy Fields and his wife, Joyce; George Michael Fields and his wife, Mary; John Gregory Fields and his wife, Mindy; daughters Laura Ann Fields Ryan and Patricia Gayle Fields Richard; daughter-in-law Kelly Harris Fields; sister Jeanne Voitier Burleigh; her fourteen grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Opelousas Area Cerebral Palsy Clinic and Heart of Hospice.