George Andre Fields

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend. George Andre Fields unexpectedly died at the age of 61, leaving behind a life shaped by laughter, deep conviction, and a sense of adventure.

George was raised in Canton, OH. He was preceded in death by his beautiful, loving wife, Dr. Laura Louise (Smith) Fields of Seattle, and his proud parents, Valeria (Mabry)Fields and George Fields.

George loved the challenge of both mind and body. He graduated from Canton South High School in Canton, OH. This is where he developed his love for cross-country running, wrestling, speech, and debate. Representing Ohio, his mastery of Taekwondo and love of competition would take him overseas for tournaments.

Although he enjoyed sports, it would be his love of words that would form the foundation of his professional career as an attorney. Written words were his passion, weapon, enemy, and friend. He won multiple awards for oratory writing during his lifetime.

That passion deepened during his undergraduate years, and he graduated from Bowling Green State University, having cultivated a commitment to justice and equality for all. His belief that the world could be better. As Vice President of the Black Student Union. He advocated for change and inspired others to listen, learn, and act with conviction. Eager to grow in intelligence and explore the world beyond Ohio, he joined the National Student Exchange Program, a decision that would ultimately lead him to the West Coast.

George went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of Oregon Law School. His fight against inequality remained steadfast, and in protest of the university's refusal at the time to divest from the South African apartheid regime, he chose to receive his law degree with only the dean, family, and close friends-a quiet but powerful reflection of his principles.

He would move to Portland, OR, to start his 30-year legal career. In Portland, he would meet and marry the love of his life, Laura. They started to build their life rooted in shared values and devotion to their work and community. Together, they would give birth to their beautiful daughter, Raven.

The family settled in Seattle, WA, and established their solo legal and medical practices. As a successful SSDI/SSI and long-term disability attorney, George was not afraid of the long, drawn-out procedures and complexities such cases encompassed. His clients appreciated and valued his integrity, persistence, and humanity.

With his family and friends, he often loved to argue the opposite of his true opinion just to challenge others, not to win but to engage in deeper thought, and at the end, he would smile and say “Good point” or gently push with a “ Go deeper. “

An avid reader since childhood, he found joy in escaping into imaginary worlds. He shared a love of comic books, heroes and anti-heroes with his big brothers, cousins, and nephews. Yet, his imagination never replaced his love of real-life adventure. George, s would travel the world to explore the lives and cultures of others. He would not always stay in the well-manicured tourist destinations; he would seek out families to stay with, often trading ESL lessons for accommodations.

George will be remembered as a man who lived his life on his own terms. His favorite poem by William Ernest Henley captures his spirit profoundly:

It matters not how straight the gate,

How charged with punishment the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

May we all carry a piece of George's spirit with us—laughing louder, helping those around us, improving our communities, and never losing our own little spark of sarcasm, imagination, and joy

As he traveled through life, George rarely said goodbye to friends or family, old or new. Instead, he would say, “Hey, see you soon.” And to that end…….

-George, see you soon. You were so loved.