Arthur William Shields
April 15,1937 – January 28, 2016
Arthur William Shields, one of seven children of Agnes (Wilson) and Virgil Shields was born April 15, 1937 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His growing up years were spent on the family farm in Mosquitoville, Vermont just up the hill from the Walter Harvey Reformed Presbyterian Church where the Shields and their extended family attended. Schooling was in Barnet Elementary schools, Peacham Academy for his freshman year and ended at Groton High School where he graduated in 1956.
The next four years he spent in the United States Air Force, Crew Chief on a B-47 Bomber, stationed at Dyess AFB in Texas, traveling to points abroad including Guam, Hawaii, Goose Bay in Canada, Spain and Alaska. Arthur remained intensely patriotic and loved to recount to family and friends those glory days.
June 17, 1961 he married the love of his life Carol Welch of Ryegate. After a year at Groton they immigrated to Canada and spent the next four and a half years at the Japan Evangelical Mission Farm in Lousana, Alberta, where Arthur served as Farm Manager caring for a 500 steer feedlot and small dairy, the proceeds of which funded missionaries in Japan.
May 1967 found them back in Peacham, Vermont, he doing carpentry, first with Ralph Page, then partnered with brother Wilson and later going solo with his crew as Shields Builders in Barnet.
In the fall of 1977 Arthur accepted a job in Vergennes, Vermont with the Vermont Forest and Parks and for the next 21 years was Maintenance Supervisor for Region Two covering the eleven state parks from Mt. Philo in Ferrisburgh, to Woodford near Bennington.
All who knew Arthur, family and friends knew him to be a godly man. Having committed his life to Christ as a boy of fourteen he never wavered but endeavored to lead a life to honor the Lord he loved and to raise his family accordingly.
His retirement years were spent on Mountain Shade, their ten acre mini-farm in Addison, ever busy, enjoying every day, raising mini horses, chickens, huge gardens, restoring antique tractors, and working in his immaculate carpenter shops.
His family was his joy. He is survived by his loving wife Carol and their five cherished children and spouses; Timothy (Mary) Shields of Brandon, VT, Thomas (Lynn) Shields of Caanan, NH, Victoria (Dave) Jacobs of Fort Covington, NY, Carol Joy (Gordon) Dobson of Addison, VT, Verna Jean (Rev. Douglas) Aldrich of Barkhamsted, CT; thirteen grandchildren: Timothy Jr., Esthermarie, and Stacy Shields, Hans and Krista Westenfeld, Samuel and Thomas Jacobs, Nathanael and Benjamin Shields, Kelsey William, Abigael Lyn, Kaelen Dobson and Rebekah Aldrich. He also leaves a brother Paul (Arlene) Shields of Passumpsic, VT and two sisters, Anna Mae Benton of Vergennes, VT and Martha (Dave) McConnell of Lebanon, NH, as well as three sister in laws Marlene Shields of Sundre, Alberta, Evelyn Shields of Groton, VT and Ruth (Ernie) Tessari of Wetaskawin, Alberta. Special to his heart were his many nieces and nephews to the third generation. He held in love Sarah Barnes and John Curler. Arthur was predeceased by three brothers Wilson, Kenneth and John. Â
Arthur died January 28, 2016 at UVM Medical in Burlington, his wife Carol by his side. Absent from the body, present with the Lord. He was a member of Victory Baptist Church in Vergennes and so loved his friends and fellowship there.
The family requests gifts in his memory be sent to the Town Line First Response Squad, PO Box 82, Bridport, Vermont 05734 or to the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad PO Box 11, Vergennes, VT 05491 in sincere gratitude for their ongoing caring support.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, February 1st from 5pm-7:30pm at Victory Baptist Church in Vergennes. A Memorial Service will be held at the church on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 11:00. A spring interment will be held at the Walter Harvey Community Cemetery in Mosquitoville, Vermont.