Paul Beckham Fields, Jr. passed away on April 11 after a brief illness. He was born on December 15, 1942, in Birmingham, Alabama. He moved to Montgomery, Alabama, when he was still an infant and lived in the area for the rest of his life. He was a graduate of Huntingdon College.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Sarah Jean Fields, brother-in-law, Harlow Daron, and granddaughters, Honor Loeb and Blaire Abbott.
He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Loretta Fields, his sister, Carol Daron, and his children, Carol (Jamie) Loeb and Claire (Erin) Isley, as well as Jeremy (Amy) Abbott, Brandon (Rebecca) Abbott, and Brett (Haley) Abbott and survived by his grandchildren, Sarah Claire and Catherine Loeb, David Paul Isley, Ana, Natalie, Wells, Michael, and Gwen Abbott.
For 60 years he was a CPA, spending 50 of those years at Wilson, Price, Barranco, and Billingsley, which merged with Warren Averett in later years.
In 2012, he began work with Harper Lee, becoming the Chief Financial Officer of Harper Lee, LLC, upon her death in 2016. He enjoyed a good-natured relationship with Ms. Lee, known as Nell to her family and friends.
He was a long-standing member of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors.
He was an officer of The Mockingbird Company, formed by Harper Lee to continue the ritual of the performance of the adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird in its dramatization on the stage under her direction.
He spent 25 years living at Lake Martin, where he could be found driving the boat or darting around on a Sea-Doo as recently as last summer. He loved to sing and dance and was often the life of the party. That’s one of the things we will miss the most.
He adored Loretta, and his years with her were filled with much love. Their time together was so precious to them both. He was a funny, silly, adoring father and grandfather, and never missed an opportunity to say “I love you” to his children and grandchildren, who all cherished him.
There will be a private memorial for the family.
In place of flowers, please send donations to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Heart of Alabama Food Bank, The Mockingbird Company, or your favorite charity.
Posted online on April 17, 2024
Published in Montgomery Advertiser