Alice "Ann" A. Shields

Alice A. Shields died peacefully at age 94 on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, from complications arising from a fall in November. Ann, as she was known to everyone, was a military spouse, serving with her husband, Don, who retired from the Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 21 years. She raised their daughter Karen on the home front through several of Don’s tours to Japan in the 1950s and they later joined him for assignments at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the US Taiwan Defense Command in Taipei, Taiwan. After Don retired from active duty in 1968 Ann and Don returned to Columbus, Ohio where Don worked an additional 20 years in the civil service. She and Don enjoyed their Ohio life until they took up their last assignment, to Albuquerque in 1991. From then on, they relished their role as grandparents to Will Peifer and John Peifer. Ann also cherished her friends at Skidmore’s Holiday Bowl, where she found a community of like-minded women. Their friendship has been a bright light in her life. Ann will be remembered for her love of family, family pets (Sadie, Calvin, Murphy), of watching both collegiate and professional basketball, football and baseball (she could have done color commentary) and for her determined independence and kindness to all.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, M/Sgt Donald E. Shields; by her parents; her brothers, Robert and Richard (Dee) Meiser; and her sisters, Esther Creager, Doris Burton and Martha Meiser. She is survived by her daughter, Karen, son-in-law, Charles Peifer and beloved grandsons, Will and John.

Memorial Services will be held Saturday, January 18, 2020, 10:00 a.m., at FRENCH – Wyoming. Private interment will take place later at the Santa Fe National Cemetery where she will join her husband.