Emilie T. Fields

Emilie Thornton Fields, age 81 of Forest City died Sunday, July 5, 2026, at Hospice House in Forest City.  Emilie was born on February 10, 1945, in Rutherford County and was a daughter of the late Milton and Ronell Towery Thornton. 

Emilie was a lifelong educator having taught at Dunbar Elementary School and later at Forrest Hunt Elementary School where she retired after 26 years’ service with Rutherford County Schools.

She was a member of Concord Baptist Church and a 1963 graduate of East Rutherford High School where she was voted most likely to succeed. She was also a Junior Marshall, Honor Student, and Editor in Chief of the Cavalier Staff as well as a member of the Debating Team and Public Speaking.  She received her Master of Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She loved to sew and over the years she would sew clothes for her grandchildren.  Emilie was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Donna.

Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Robert (Bob) Fields of the home, her son, Scott Fields and wife Stefanie of Waxhaw, North Carolina, her daughter, Leigh Terhardt of Forest City, her brother, Stanley Thornton of Bostic, and sister, Brenda Furches of Clemmons, North Carolina.  There are also three grandchildren, Kayla Terhardt, Chase Fields, and Callie Fields.

The memorial service will be held at 3 o’clock on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in The Padgett and King Chapel with Mr. Bobby Connor officiating.  The family will receive friends from 2 until 3 o’clock prior to the service at the mortuary.

The Padgett and King Mortuary & Crematory is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com  

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.