A devoted and beloved husband, father and grandfather, Ron is survived by his wife of 52 years, Cheryl H Fields, son Michael (Bethany) Fields of Greensboro, NC; daughter Jenny (Chris) Heffer of Greensboro, NC, and pride of his life grandchildren Sean Heffer and Sophie Heffer. Ron is also survived by sister Jacqueline Fields of Indiana. He was preceded in death by his father James Fields, mother Phyllis Fields, sisters Carol Ann Fields and Jeanie Fields, son Forrest “Frosty” Fields, and brother-in-law Bill Haughey.
Ron was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan – Dearborn in 1968. After graduation, Ron enrolled in the Army from 1968-1971, became First Lieutenant, and served in Vietnam. While in the Army, Ron became an Airborne Ranger, an elite group of soldiers within the Army’s Special Operations Forces. During his time in the Army, Ron learned critical leadership and strategic thinking skills.
Ron met the love of his life, Cheryl, in Sanford and married in 1972. They moved to Greensboro, NC and began working together in real estate and property management. Ron, a life-long learner, earned his CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Manager) Designation in 1986. He was well known for his skill in making strategic real estate investments, and delighted in teaching strategies to others.
Ron became very active with Summit Rotary and became District Chairman of the Student Exchange Program, coordinating housing and excursions for the students, often hosting several at his home. Through this experience, Ron embraced learning about different cultures and instilled that within his own family.
Jack of all trades, Ron enjoyed being hands on in his real estate ventures. From fixing leaking toilets to replacing flooring, Ron understood how to make the most of an investment and never lacked in sweat equity. Known for his integrity, professionalism, work ethic, and determination, Ron made friends easily and touched many lives during his professional career. He will always be remembered for his easy smile, good-hearted, playful nature, and deep love for his family and pets.
The Fields family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 20th, 6pm-8pm at Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home N.Elm Chapel. A Celebration of Life will be held at Hanes Lineberry on Wednesday, February 21st at 11am with committal service to follow at Westminster Gardens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T.org), St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital(www.stjude.org) or Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue(reddogfarm.com/donate).
