Betty Jane Fields

Betty Jane Fields

Betty Jane Fields, (7/31/35), was the youngest of three children born to Arthur and Augusta Soechting in New Braunfels, TX. She died on July 3, 2021, in Stayton, OR, and is with her loving husband and Jesus Christ.

Betty met her husband, Burton C. Fields, in 1955. She was fond of telling the story and asked that it be recounted here: In the spring of 1955, she sat at Root Beer Drive Inn during a night off (she worked there as a second job) when (unknown to her) two Airmen drove up and one said to his friend, “Do you see that blonde sitting there? I don’t know who she is, but I am going to marry her.” He made a point to meet her the following night and asked her for a date. It took another two weeks of asking before she accepted, and the rest is history. They married on September 4, 1955, and were married for over 57 years until his death in 2013.

They moved to Alaska in 1959 when Burt was stationed at Elmendorf. Betty initially worked at Traveler’s Inn Restaurant (owned by Walter Hickel) and transferred to Hotel Captain Cook when it opened. She also worked at Westward Hotel (now Hilton) while studying for her real estate exam. She entered the real estate profession in 1968, eventually founded Ptarmigan Real Estate in Eagle River, and retired in 1998. Betty made many friends with whom she continued correspondence until her death.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother LeeRoy Soechting and wife Marciel, sister Virginia Masonis, and great-grandson Selah Theis. She is survived by brother-in-law Jerome Masonis of Woodbridge, VA; daughter Debbie Hobbs (John) of Turner, OR; grandsons Rod Theis (Cori) of Pendleton, OR, Jason Theis (Marjorie) of Fairbanks, AK, and Shaun Selman of Jacksonville, NC; three each great-grand daughters and sons; and many nieces, nephews, and their spouses and children.

Visitation will be at the Evergreen Memorial Chapel at 737 E. Street, Anchorage, from 9-10AM on July 21, 2021. Services will begin at 10AM.

Betty will be laid to rest with her loving and devoted husband at Fort Richardson National Cemetery at 11:30 AM July 21, 2021. Please contact Jason Theis at jasonwtheis@gmail.com for details on the Celebration of Life planned for later that day.