Mass of Christian burial for Bob Shields, 61, of Sun City, Ariz., who passed away in Sun City West on Dec. 3 will be recited Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Buffalo, Wyo., with Father Pete Johnson as celebrant. A Vigil Service and was held and the Rosary recited Tuesday. Interment will be in Willow  Grove Cemetery with the American Legion and VFW in charge of military graveside services. Donations may be made in Bob’s memory to the American Legion in care of the Adams Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo.

 Robert Lee Shields was born Dec. 4, 1946 in Kewanee, Ill., to Lee and Juanita Shields. He grew up in Kewanee and Galva, Ill., and graduated from

Galva  High School in 1967. After high school Bob went to college for three years at Southern Illinois State University and then joined the U.S. Marines. He was discharged in 1970 with an honorable discharge and received a Vietnamese Service Medal with a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the National Defense Service Medal and an expert rifleman’s badge. After the service Bob returned and was a heavy equipment operator and miner. Bob was married in Laramie, Wyo., in 1978 to Ilo Marie Firnekas and they made their home in Hanna, Wyo., where he mined coal. They later moved to Elko, Nev., where he worked in a gold mine. They spent 20 years in Alaska at the largest lead and zinc mine in the world. He was employed at the Red Dog Lead and Zinc Mine. They moved to Peoria, Ariz., in June of 2008 so he could be treated at the Mayo Hospital in Scottsdale. He had continued living in Peoria until the time of his death.  Bob loved to hunt and fish. He belonged to a trapshooting club in Alaska and did all of his own shell reloading. He also loved to snowmachine and ice fish in the winter as well as fishing for king salmon in the spring. Bob belonged to St. Michael’s Church in Palmer for 19 years and joined Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Sun City West, Ariz. Bob also belonged to the American Legion and the Elks Club.

 He is survived by his wife Ilo Marie of Peoria; three sons, Robert Rask and his wife Meta of Dahinda, Ill., Justin Shields and his wife Kristin of Palmer and Travis Shields of Anchorage; two daughters, Stacey Leafsteadt and her husband Martin of Peoria, and Deana Newton of Worland, Wyo.; his mother Juanita Shields of Kewanee; one brother, Terry Shields, his wife Theresa and their son Michael of Galva, Illinois and 11 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father Lee Shields