Bill and Lola Field

William L. "Bill" Field was born August 8, 1921 in St. Helena, CA to William and Mary Field. He grew up in Hopland, CA. In high school he played trumpet in the marching band, he he was honored to play in the band which inaugurated the Golden Gate Bridge's opening before he graduated in 1940. After high school he went to work as a ship fitter in CA, and then was drafted into the Army in 1944, fighting in the invasions of Saipan and Okinawa. His valor and wounds in Okinawa resulted in his being awarded the Purple Heart medal. He served in Occupied Japan from 1945 until being released from service in 1946.

After doing odd jobs around the western US, he landed in eastern Washington in 1948 working for a sign company. There he met and married Lola Mae Powe in 1950. Lola was born May 6th, 1931 in Clarkston, Washington.  The young couple moved to Alaska in 1952 where he heard work was available at a sign company in Anchorage. 

In 1952, Bill went to Kenai to install a sign, but truck problems forced him to hitchhike back to Anchorage. The man who gave him a ride was homesteading in Nikiski. Learning of available land, he and Lola filed on a 160-acre homestead, of which they relinquished 40 acres, making the final homestead 120 acres. They lived on a portion of that homestead for more than 50 years.

In 1953, Bill and Lola began their first adventure in Commercial Fishing, setnet fishing in Clam Gulch.  In 1954 they were blessed with their first child.  In 1956 the Fields left Alaska and moved back to the Clarkston, WA area, where they built a house across the Snake River in Lewiston, ID, and between 1956-1963 they were blessed with three more children. In August of 1967 the adventure of Alaska called again and they arrived back at their homestead in Alaska with four children in tow. In the fall of 1969 Lola May and Bill purchased a setnet fish site in the Grey Cliff area north of what is now Captain Cook Park and began commercial setnet fishing there.  Bill continued fishing until around 2017, when he was no longer physically able.
 

In 1968 Bill bought a boom truck and a sheet metal brake and founded Kenai Neon Sign Co. which is still in business today as Alaska Sign Source. In the late 60s-early 1970s, in addition to working the sign company he had founded, Bill also worked at various jobs including developing the oil fields in Cook Inlet and driving school bus. Lola drove bus as well, and was an instructor during the 1970's and 1980's.    

In 1983, Bill retired from ownership of the sign company, relinquishing ownership to his son, who currently owns it, but he continued to work there part-time until around 2000.

Bill helped found the Jerry Horn VFW Post 10046 in Soldotna in 1968 and was a longstanding member of the American Legion Post 20 in Kenai. He was a also member of the Military Order of Purple Heart and the Military Order of the Cooties, as well as serving with the Honor Guard and the rifle team.

Aside from commercial fishing, Bill enjoyed chopping wood and restoring old cars and motorcycles.   

Lola loved crafting, sewing, making dolls for needy children, and recycling scrap metals.

Bill and Lola's children are Deborah Palmer of Wasilla, and  Douglas  Field, of Kenai. Their daughters Tina and Pamela predeceased them.

Bill Field passed away passed away Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at the age of 102. His wife Lola, 92, joined him on December 26th, 2023.

(Many thanks to Lance Ware for contributing photos of Bill Field.)