Laura Alice Shields

Laura Alice Shields passed away peacefully at home on January 8, 2026. Born on December 18, 1938, in Appleby, Texas, to Leonard Jefferson Lawson and Esteline Leva Hogan Lawson, Alice was the first of their three daughters.

She attended Jeff Davis High School in Houston, Texas, where she studied journalism and worked on the school newspaper. After graduating in 1957, she tried her hand at working in a jewelry store before beginning a long career with Kuhlman Machinery Sales in Houston, where she became the office manager. After nearly fifteen years there, she joined ARAMCO Services Company in 1977 as a secretary and worked her way up to become a Budgeting and Financial Analyst before retiring in 1996.

Retirement opened the door to travel with family and friends across the United States and in Europe - experiences Alice treasured.

It also allowed her to return to one of her lifelong passions: writing. Although she was never formally published, she pursued her love of words enthusiastically and became a prolific writer. She was an active member of the Romance Writers of America and served as a Board Director, participating in site visits and helping plan an annual convention that drew more than a thousand writers.

After retirement she spent many summers at her home in Burlington, West Virginia, escaping the Texas heat and enjoying time with her daughter Lisa and her family. Eventually she settled in Trinity, Texas, where her lakefront home provided beautiful views and the opportunity to spend more time with her son Craig and his family.

Alice belonged to several churches during her lifetime, but none meant more to her than Burning Hope Baptist Church in Trinity, Texas. She loved that the church served both as a worshiping community and as a neighborhood outreach hub, combining traditional Baptist services with practical ministries such as meals and recovery support. She was proud of the volunteer work she did there and treasured the many relationships she formed.

She was married to Ronald Ray Bundick from 1957 to 1967 and later to Richard Marion Shields from 1970 to 1980.

Alice is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved sister, Joan Maudine Hamrick. She is survived by another beloved sister, Mildred Janice Youngblood; her son, Ronald Craig Bundick and his wife Darla Milam Bundick; her daughter, Lisa Joan Bundick Phillips and her husband Keith Christian Phillips; stepdaughter Cindy Shields Griswold and her husband Kim Scott Griswold; and her grandchildren, Robert Christian Phillips, Savannah Grace Phillips, Ryan Walker Phillips, and Justin Creed Bundick.

Alice lived a life defined by resilience, curiosity, and love for family, faith, and the written word. Whether through the stories she wrote or the friendships she nurtured, she left a lasting imprint on the lives around her. Her memory will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.