Charlie walked one and half miles through the snow to bring Grandma Carrie back to the house to help with the arrival. Harold spent his younger years on the farm with his siblings, Glen, Francis, Betty, and Doris Ann. He attended school in Gage, graduating from Gage High School in 1955.
After completing high school, he attended college at Panhandle A&M (now Panhandle State University) in Goodwell, OK. There, he met Deloris Perky from Keyes, OK. They were married July 4, 1957, at the First United Methodist Church, Keyes, OK. They focused their studies on Education which included Industrial Arts, Science and Home Economics. Harold took great pride in working with wood and teaching his students how to apply what they learned in the classroom to their everyday lives, whether that was making a beautiful gun cabinet or table, or building cabinets in order to put themselves through college or in some cases, make a living. Later in his career as an administrator, Harold mentored many young people and encouraged them to get an education so they could have a chance to find their potential in life just as he had. He was a leader and a friend and he never met a stranger. After Harold and Deloris graduated from college, they moved their family to Manter, KS. Their teaching careers took them to Corona, NM; Springlake-Earth, TX; and several towns in Oklahoma – Felt, Ames, Reydon, Cement, Canton, & Woodward. They spent summers working on their Master’s degrees while attending college at Southwestern State, Eastern New Mexico and Western Colorado University. After retiring, Harold bought a Woodmizer sawmill and traveled around cutting lumber for anyone needing wood for projects. He was a member of the Oklahoma Red Cedar Association. From the time he left the farm, Harold loved to travel. Summer and Christmas vacations were spent visiting family and friends.
He led by example and had a strong work ethic which he passed on to his children. He was always anxious to talk about his next “ongoing” project or two in great detail. In 1987, he was recognized by the Oklahoma Technology Education Association as “Teacher of the Year”. He enjoyed coyote hunting with his cousin, Cloyd Branson and brother, Francis. More importantly, he loved his church, no matter where it was. His greatest desire was to serve God and take his family to church every time the doors were open, even in a snowstorm, if necessary. He was a deacon, Sunday School teacher, Royal Ranger Commander and could often be found in helping with construction or maintenance projects around the church. At the time of his death, he was a member of Taloga Assembly of God. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie and Fern Fields; one brother, Francis; one child, Galen Howard and a granddaughter, Carrie Ann Nance. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Deloris Fields and his siblings, Glen (Shirley) of Clovis, NM; Betty Moser of Benbrook, TX and Doris Via-Taylor of Piedmont, SC. His surviving children are Bonita Hammontree and husband, James of Catoosa, OK; Janet Nance of Seiling, OK; Troy and wife, Linda of Seiling; Delena Link and husband, Dwight of Branson, MO. Surviving grandchildren are Scott Nance, Sean Nance and Christina Nance Friesen (Stan) from Oregon; Amy Fields Leighton (Brennan) of Ft Cobb; Brady Fields of Tulsa; Gehrig Link, Ashley Link Herzog (Justin) and Brienna Link Herzog (Forrest) from Branson, MO. His surviving great grandchildren are Spencer Nance; Jeremiah, Lewis and June Friesen; Liam and Luke Leighton; Wayne and Faron Herzog. Funeral services were conducted Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 10:00 AM, at the Taloga First Assembly of God. Graveside services were conducted Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 2:00 PM at Gage Memorial Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the First Assembly of God Church or Gage Memorial Cemetery, c/o Redinger Funeral Home, P.O. Box 236, Seiling, OK 73663.