So much can be said about Edward Fields, an archivist by occupation, but also an archivist in his very nature and soul. Ed was uniquely intelligent, fiercely loyal, driven with an unmatched moral compass and code of honor. He was a mentor, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a colleague. But perhaps the single most important quality that he would tell you defined him was that he was the father of two daughters, Anna Tereza and Rachel Rose. His devotion and love were unmatched.
Edward was born in Detroit, Michigan, on October 8, 1952, to Loretta Josephine Tomaszewicz and Charles Edward Fields. Growing up, he described himself as a “latchkey kid” whose family bounced between Michigan, Maine, Florida, and Massachusetts. After years of working with his close friend Jo Jo Salami at Mack Trucks (and living with his beloved cat Jeep), he put himself through night school at Harvard University, a crowning achievement for someone who had struggled to make ends meet. He was the pioneer among his family to finish college and then go on to graduate school, ultimately to pursue a fruitful academic career at UC Santa Barbara as Assistant Director of the Department of Special Collections at the Davidson Library.
Ed met Sarah Potok, his now ex-wife yet still very close friend, in Somerville, Massachusetts, and after a romance filled with inside jokes, laughter, and dreaming, they decided to elope to Geneva, Switzerland, and honeymoon in Paris, France — a story they told their daughters, often citing that they were too poor to afford anything but “cheese and chocolate.” Boo-hoo.
In 1991, Ed and Sarah moved to Santa Barbara, a city that Ed had stayed in once when visiting his aunt Katherine, who lived in Los Angeles. It became his dream place to raise a family. His dream was realized when he was accepted to the UCSB graduate program for East Asian Studies. There, he studied, taught, and created the life that became so meaningful to his community, his friends, and his family.
Ed loved being a father. He loved to incorporate dramatized pieces of his childhood into bedtime stories for his two daughters, telling intricately exaggerated tales of the Infamous Turok and Kiowa (characters from comic books he used to “lift” from Joe’s Comic book store in Portland, Maine, when he was a kid); tales of his dog Lucky, who traveled with the family by car from Florida to Maine and back; and tales of the strict Jesuit priests who berated him for “intentionally” spilling his Jell-O on the ground in an effort to cause his classmates to “slip and fall.”
He told beautiful tales of the dragons of Hiroshima and disgusting tales of lunches he pretended to enjoy, like toenail clippings and cat hair, which his daughters thought were delightfully revolting. He created imaginary monsters like “Hook Man” and “Spoon Man,” who terrorized his daughters and their friends in a sort of hide-and-seek frenzy. There was also the infamous “push monster,” a creature he invented so he could innocently, playfully push his daughters off the couch and have someone to blame. He would then go give those monsters a “thrashing,” banging on the bedroom walls to teach them.
Not only was Ed a wonderful storyteller, he also brought his inventiveness to all aspects of fatherhood and family life. Family outings consisted of frequent trips to the zoo, natural history museum, beach, and boardwalk. He loved to picnic, to cook dinners on the back patio, and in the quieter moments of life, Ed always had a book in hand. He passed his love of reading to his children, reading books to them all the time, sending books in every package, and reading books with them even when they reached adulthood. In his house, there was less space than there were books.
Despite his “stern” looks, Ed’s sense of humor and his outright joy in pranks and “trolling” were a defining characteristic. He took great joy in pranking his colleagues and student workers every year for April Fools, gleefully telling his daughters of every prank he pulled off.
Ed was a creature of habit, and he created traditions that will be carried on in his family for generations. He cataloged pieces of his life, keeping treasured notes, pictures, and possessions. He remembered every birthday, every holiday, every meaningful date or person in his life, and he made sure to honor them in a special way that no one else would ever think to do.
Ed was a dreamer, and he thought often of his future and of living closer to his daughters. He visited often, traveling to Vermont and New York, where he made cherished memories and took many pictures of his adventures. He fantasized about a family home, and a family café filled with books and fresh-baked bread. He fell in love with Burlington and had planned to move there when he was ready.
Ed — Daddy — you will be so dearly missed, words cannot describe the hole you have left in our hearts with the absence of your irreplaceable friendship, guidance, and presence. We love you so, so much.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. Arrangements entrusted to Pueblo del Rey Funeral Services.