Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Willard Eugene (Gene) Shields, age 96, of Lawton, passed away Sunday, October 27, 2019 in Lawton.

Arrangements are under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

His urn will be placed in Marion National Cemetery in Marion, Indiana at a later date.

Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Willard Eugene (Gene) Shields was born June 19, 1923 in Sharpsville, Indiana to Dr. Earl Shields and Mrs. Bertha Alice Adams Shields.  He graduated from Wiley High School in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1940.  He was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1943 after a short time attending Indiana State Teachers College.  He received his associate degree from Westark Jr. College while continuing his military career.  He finished his military career with forty years of service in 1983.  When the position of Senior Airman Advisor to the Air Force Reserve Commander was created in 1972, Chief Shields was one of the four finalists competing for the job.  Again in 1974 he was nominated for the position but declined due to other commitments.

He married Alice Ruth Weir on October 18, 1968.  They enjoyed fifty-one years of marriage.  Born to this union was a baby girl, the light of his life, Jane Ann Shields.  He served as a stay at home dad after retirement and was very active in school activities.

His favorite pastimes were bowling and golf.  He was a talented artist and had a brilliant mind that was often seen in his puns and quick wit.  He was a great lover of music and could often be heard whistling favorite tunes.  Unfortunately he lost that ability to whistle and even speak when he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 1989.  He beat the odds by surviving for thirty years with an electronic voice.

He is survived by his loving wife, his daughter and her boyfriend, Julio Morin, sister-in-law, Mary Ann Weir Floyd, seven nephews, seven nieces and many great and great great nieces.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Bonnie Josephine Shields Walls and her husband, Rex Walls and his other two brothers-in-law, Bonner Weir and Jim Weir.  He was also preceded in death by a nephew, Louis Walls.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com .