GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The Tusculum University family mourns the passing of former athletic director and cross country coach Dr. Jim Fields.
Fields, 77, was a native of Hopewell, Virginia and was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, pastor and friend. One of Coach Fields’ favorite sayings was, “a man preaches his funeral all is life.”
From 1996-98, he served as Director of Athletics at Tusculum where he ushered in a new era of growth for the Pioneer athletics program. Under his watch, Tusculum achieved NCAA Division II membership, opened the new Pioneer Arena, while completing the university’s initial steps for admission to the South Atlantic Conference.
He also served as Faculty Athletics Representative during the 1995-96 academic year before assuming the athletic director’s post.
From 2000-2004 and again in 2009, he served as the head coach of the Tusculum cross country program. His runners garnered All-South Atlantic Conference honors 12 times, including two SAC Freshman Runners of the Year and two SAC Runners of the Year (Amanda Musick & Simon Holzapfel). The Tusculum women’s program recorded a trio of top-three finishes in the conference (2001, 2002, 2003), while the men’s squad posted a sixth place showing at the 2003 SAC Championship.
During Fields’ tenure as cross country coach, the Pioneers captured eight team championships and 19 individual titles.
Fields served in the U.S. Navy from 1965-1968 and following his military service, he pursued higher education earning his Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech in 1972 and a Master of Science from Virginia State University in 1977. He later completed his formal education by earning a Doctor of Education form East Tennessee State University in 1993.
He served as senior pastor at Casi Full Gospel Church, was a popular guest preacher at Ashway Pentecostal Holiness Church, and became the self-proclaimed most requested funeral pastor in Greene County. Never one to sit on his hands, in 2019, at the young age of 71, he decided to build the energy efficient house of his dreams where he passed away on Monday (Sep. 2) with his loving wife of 28 years, Gayle, by his side.
Jim is survived by his wife, Gayle (Gilliam) Fields; his son, Kenneth Fields (Kelly); his daughter, Melody Mosley (Adam); grandchildren Kenton and Kade Fields and Lucy and Ellie Mosley; siblings Wanda Springsdorf (Gary), Lee Fields (Deborah), Brenda Matthews (Raymond), Deborah Zadai (Mike), and Mark Fields (Denise); and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are being conducted by Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home in Greeneville. Viewing and receiving line will be held this Friday (Sep. 6), from 5-7 p.m. and on Saturday (Sep. 7), from 12-2 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life from 2-3 p.m.
