Anita Fields-Gold

On Tuesday, December 7, 2021, Anita Fields-Gold, entered eternal life.  She was born on October 29, 1940 in Amarillo, TX to Maureen (Craig) Bates and Dara Bates.

Her career in the field of nursing began in 1962 with a Diploma in Nursing from Jefferson Davis Hospital School of Nursing, Houston, TX.  She continued her nursing education with a BSN, MSC, and Ph.D. in nursing, focusing the advanced degrees on Nursing Education.

Throughout the years, Anita was an Operating Room (OR) Nurse at M.D. Anderson, Houston, TX, Operating Room Instructor and PT, St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing, Ft. Worth, TX, Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, Sperry-Rand, Industrial nurse, Confederate Memorial School of Nursing, OR instructor, Med Surg Instructor, Shreveport, LA, Northwestern State University, Instructor and Course Coordinator Med-Surg Nursing, Assistant Professor, Developer, and Coordinator of initial Nursing C.E. Program at McNeese State University, College of Nursing Director and Dean, retiring after twenty-one years and awarded Dean Emeritus.

During her career in Lake Charles, she served on boards of directors for the SWLA Chapter of the American Cancer Society, The State Board of the American heart Association of Louisiana, the State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home an Administrators, Past President of the Alpha Gamma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International and the Quota Club.

She was a member of the American Red Cross and was awarded the National Nightingale Award in 2002.  She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Legend in Nursing Award from the Daisy Foundation and was asked to list her favorite memory of her nursing career, her response: “There are too many to list, but three stand out”.

These awards especially – The National American Red Cross Ann Magnusen Award, the Charter Louisiana Nursing Foundation Nightingale Award, Nurse of the years in Shreveport and Lake Charles District Nurses’ Association, and the Daisy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Nursing and Education.

Being president of the Louisiana State Nurses’ Association for two terms (four years).

Instructing and guiding over 1,400 nursing students to careers in nursing, plus planning and overseeing the construction of two buildings for nursing on the MSU campus and initiating accreditation for the BSN program an initiating the ADN and master’s degree programs.

Dr. Fields-Gold served Acts Theatre for the past 25 years as President, Treasurers, Producer and Actress. She won Best Actress in “Solid Gold Cadillac”. She was passionate about her support of Acts and was an accomplished thespian.

She was a member of Krewe Bon Coure for six years and served on Board of Trustees at Temple Sinai.

Anita was also passionate about The Order of The Eastern Star. She joined by initiation February 11, 1975. Moving to the Lake Area in the early 80’s she joined on of the oldest local chapters, Ruth Chapter #16, in 1981. After serving as Worthy Matron, she was appointed as District Deputy Grand Matron (representing the Worthy Grand Matron) in 1984. She was appointed to many state committees over the years and was chosen to lead the state Grand Chapter in 1996-1997 as Worthy Grand Matron. She continued to serve her local chapter in many offices over the years. She also served as a General Grand Chapter (International) Committee member for the years 2010-2013. She will be greatly missed by the members of her chapter.

Left to cherish her memory is her loving husband of 21 years, Maurice Gold; daughter, Debra Foreman and husband Daniel; nephews, B.G. Clark and wife Debra, Dara Clark; a sister in-law, Susan Clark.

Visitation will be at Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 715 Kirkman St., Lake Charles, Thursday, December 9, 2021, beginning at 12:00pm until 2:00pm. The service will be officiated by Rabbi Barry Weinstein. Immediately followed by an Order of the Eastern Star Service.