James Edward Shields

James “Jim” Shields, age 79, of Bloomington, Indiana, died peacefully in his sleep on February 17, 2023. He was born on December 31, 1943 to Alden Keith and Marjorie Ann Campbell Shields in Nashville, Tennessee. Jim grew up in French Lick, Indiana, where he graduated from Springs Valley High School and met the love of his life, Frances Jean Emmons. Jim began college at Indiana State University, often hitchhiking on weekends to Bloomington to visit Fran. Jim then transferred to Indiana University, from which he graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Jim and Fran were married in Beck Chapel on the Indiana University campus on September 4, 1965. He began his teaching career as a science teacher in Shoals, Indiana, where he also built their first home. Jim and Fran soon returned to Bloomington, where he taught and coached Track and Field at Bachelor Middle School, earned his Master’s Degree in Library Science from Indiana University, and then worked as the Director of Audio Visual Services at Bloomington High School South. During his time at Bloomington South, Jim initiated the school’s integration of video and technology-based learning into their classrooms. Jim retired from the Monroe County Community School Corporation in 2003. Jim loved to travel. His trips to 49 of the 50 states included seeing the Hoosiers play in the 1969 Rose Bowl, attending the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, several Lions Club International Conventions, and many trips to visit and be with his children and grandchildren. Jim was named Father of the Year by the Bloomington Herald Times. He volunteered many hours and held many leadership positions in the Bloomington West Lions Club (now the Bloomington Lions Club), St. Paul United Methodist Church, and was a 30 year blood donor with the American Red Cross. He was a Member of the Monroe County Education Association, Indiana State Teachers Association, and the National Education Association. Jim was a lifetime member of the Indiana University Alumni Association, and a passionate fan of Bloomington South high school sports and Indiana Hoosier basketball and football. He is survived by: wife of 58 years, Frances of Bloomington; daughter, Angela Macy, of Spencer; daughter Tami Shields Silverman and husband, Ross David Silverman of Bloomington; Grandchildren, Emily Macy, Miranda Silverman, Maxwell Silverman, and Ethan Macy; sister Sherrie Wetterholt of Bloomington, sister Kathy Stanfield of Brownsburg, and brother Robin Shields of Mooresville. A short Celebration of Life Memorial Service in his honor will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at the Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home; 4150 E. Third St. where everyone is encouraged to wear their I.U. clothing. Donations in his memory may be directed to Monroe County Community Schools Foundation https://mccsfoundation.org/contribute/donate/ Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com for the Shields family.