Gay Beth Fields

Gay Beth Bowgren Fields, the oldest of three daughters, was born to Clifton and Jewel Bowgren on May 13, 1943 in Geneva, Illinois. Gay grew up attending Wasco Baptist Church and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal savior at the age of 12. Gay graduated from Saint Charles High School in the spring of 1961 and in the fall she enrolled as a student at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. After two years she transferred to Emmaus Bible School in Oak Park, Illinois where she was a student for several years. There she met Alex Fields and on June 26, 1965 they were married at Geneva Baptist Church in Geneva, Illinois. In the fall they returned to Bob Jones University where Gay enrolled as a home economics education major and Alex as a music education major. In 1967 Gay graduated and started working at Greenville General Hospital as a dietitian's assistant. She worked there until giving birth to her first son in the spring of 1970. That fall, Alex and Gay started serving the Lord as faculty and staff members of Bob Jones University. Gay became the food supervisor of the newly formed Bob Jones Elementary School where she served faithfully for 42 years until retiring in 2012.
For the past 59 years Alex and Gay have been very active at Overbrook Gospel Chapel where they raised their family of four boys, Alexander, Andrew, Aaron and Alan. Aaron is married to Kimberly Ferlauto and they have a son, Adrian. Alan is married to Kate Suarez and they have a son, Jameson. Gay has one surviving sister, Joy Nelson of Geneva, Illinois. Gay was a loving, caring and faithful wife, mother and grandmother and she will be greatly missed, however, we sorrow not as others who have no hope because the Bible teaches that those who have placed their faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ are begotten again unto a living hope by His resurrection from the dead. Since He lives we shall live also, for to be absent from the body is to be eternally present with the Lord. This is our hope and comfort.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 12:15 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown. The funeral will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Burial will be in Mountain View Memorial Park, Travelers Rest.
Family and friends who are unable to attend the service can view the Live Stream by clicking on the "Watch Event" button located on the main obituary page.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Overbrook Gospel Chapel, PO Box 31403, Greenville, SC 29608.