Students and faculty at Devry University in Irving, Texas, and a few hundred others who knew him, lost a great friend when Michael Field died the day after Thanksgiving.
His memorial service last Saturday at Arlington’s Unity Church was filled with warmth and laughter as a dozen people remembered Michael’s verve and the joy with which he pursued knowledge, beneficial change, and good social interaction.
In my experience, psychologists come in three varieties: Crazy, eccentric, and real solid people. Michael was a pillar for a lot of people, able to be so solid because he enjoyed the crazy and eccentric, but was not controlled by it. I think the man never met a book or problem he didn’t relish in some way. No fewer than five people testified that Michael was, as a member of some group they nominally led, the guy who sparked great action. That was my experience, too.
It’s been nearly a decade since he left the board of a charitable institution we both served. I was lamenting that we had no one else like him when I learned of his death. Literally dozens of students at Devry told me how Dr. Field pushed them to be better and happier, when I taught there as an adjunct.
Listening at his service Saturday I was inspired again to climb back into the fray. The band of brothers is reduced — several bands, actually — but there is so much to do.
What have you done today to make the entire world better? Michael’s gone. We all have to work harder.
Smile while you do it, and enjoy the work.
Brief obituary below the fold.
Michael A. Field
1945 – 2007
Michael A. Field, a psychologist, passed away Friday, Nov. 23, 2007, at the age of 62 after a happy, fulfilled life and a courageous battle with cancer.
Memorial service: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Unity Church, Arlington.
Memorials: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Michael A. Field, Ph.D., was born Aug. 29, 1945, in Hermosa Beach, Calif., but grew up in Littleton, Colo. He was most recently a resident of Dallas. As a veteran of the Air Force, Michael flew as a crew member on MedEvac helicopters during the Vietnam War. He was an alumnus of Texas Tech University, Sam Houston State University and California Coast University. He enjoyed an illustrious career of nearly 30 years as a psychologist in the Texas prison system, a therapist, and the last 10 years as a professor at DeVry University. His passions included his family and his students, history, his beloved German shepherd, Mishka, football, flying airplanes, scuba diving and tennis.
Survivors: His wife of 20 years, Kathleen; sister, Krickette and husband, Alan Sloan; brother, Steve and wife, Rachael Field, and their son, Stephan; stepchildren, Daniel Willett and Amanda Hill and Jordana Willett; adopted son, Nghi and wife, Xe Do; and many other relatives, beloved friends and colleagues.
Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on 12/2/2007.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
This topic has been floating in my mind for a while now. At first, I wanted to focus on how people can express their grief when they have experienced the loss of a loved one. However, I realized expressing grief is not always the emotion a person is trying to release. When you think of the person who has passed on, you shouldn’t simply dwell on the present situation, but express and reminisce about the fond times you’ve had together as well.
Now you can create an online memorial to do just that: http://www.warmtribute.com
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