Frederick Fifield

FREDERICK FRANCIS FIFIELD

Bellevue

Frederick Francis Fifield, 87, of Bellevue, passed away Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, at Bethany Home in Dubuque. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Bellevue. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at Hachmann Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Bellevue. Burial will be at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, immediately after the funeral Mass, with military honors conducted by the Bellevue American Legion Post No. 273.

Fred was born July 30, 1931, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Marine PFC Fred W. and Blanche R. (Shimanek) Fifield. An Eagle Scout, in 1949 he graduated from Oxford Junction High School where he participated in varsity baseball, basketball and vocal music. He attended the University of Iowa, graduating in 1953. Fred served his country in the U.S. Army during the years of 1953-55 and married Larrayne Jo Alyea on Aug. 19, 1961, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oxford Junction.

Fred started his business career as a value engineer with several technology-oriented industrial companies, including Medtronic Corp. of St. Anthony Village, Minn. In 1977, he was named the National Value engineer of the year. The final 21 years of his career were spent as director of management engineering for Mercy Hospitals, initially in Des Moines and then Dubuque, from which he retired in 1996. During that time, he authored the handbook, "Hospital Organization & Productivity Effectiveness," for hospitals wanting to improve cost, quality and morale.

While he was with Mercy in Des Moines, his family resided in Ankeny, where Fred especially enjoyed attending his daughters' dance recitals and following AHS's girls six-on-six state championship basketball teams. For most of three decades, Fred was a top-level Iowa district tennis player, participating in many tournaments and passing on the love of the sport to family members and friends. Personal highlights included participating alongside his sons in father/son doubles competitions and witnessing a niece, Anne Gorde of Minneapolis, Minn., perform as top player and co-captain for the University of Minnesota. He had a special fondness for the Mississippi Valley Open tennis tournament held each July in Dubuque.

A person of devout faith, Fred also found great enjoyment in walking, shuffleboard, photography and the outdoors.

Fred is survived by his wife, Jo; children, Lory (Ken) Sabers of Dubuque, Jay (Dori) Fifield of Des Moines, Andra Fifield of Bellevue and Paul (Lindsay) Fifield of Manassas, Va.; 11 grandchildren, Meredith (Aaron) Lehman, Noah and Jared Sabers, Matthew, Christopher and Nicholas Fifield, Jordan (Kathleen) Barrett, and Haley, Kyleigh, Luke and Leah Fifield; great-grandchildren, Vash and Marceline Lehman; a sister, Carolyn Cavanaugh; and a brother-in-law, David Gorde.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Marilyn Gorde; and a brother-in-law, Steve Cavanaugh.

Memorials can be made to Bethany Home in Dubuque or the organ repair fund at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Bellevue. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hachmannfuneralhome.com.