科玛·贝丽尔·菲尔兹
教会及社区领袖，1940年文学士
科玛·贝丽尔·菲尔兹 was born October 24, 1919, in Vernon, Texas, the daughter of G.A. 杰克和埃塞尔·马勒. 她和她的哥哥G.A. 马勒小., were reared on a farm near Claude in the Texas Panhandle. Her parents fostered a Christian home with a strong entrepreneurial work ethic. Koma Beryl accepted Christ at age 11 and was active in First Baptist Church of Claude where she still holds membership. She grew up during the Depression Era, riding horseback and exploring the countryside with her brother and friends. After graduating from Claude High School in 1936, she followed her big brother to Hardin-Simmons University.
Hardin-Simmons proved to be the field where Koma Beryl blossomed. She enjoyed four years as a Cowgirl, serving as vice president of the group. She was president of Alpha Psi Omega and of the Future Teachers Society. 接受教师培训, she served on the Student Council and was active in speech and drama groups on campus.
1940年毕业时, Koma Beryl became the junior high reading and speech teacher with Phillips Public 学校, in a small oil refinery town of the Texas Panhandle. 在那里，她遇到了亨利. Fields, a high school coach and woodworking teacher with Phillips schools. Their bond deepened as Henry joined the Army and became an officer. They were married on February 27, 1943, at Ft. 马里兰州米德. Koma Beryl continued to teach while Henry served overseas during the war years.
之后, they moved back to Claude in 1946 where Henry began farming and ran a woodworking shop, Koma Beryl taught school until their children were born, 他们一起建造了他们的家. They had two children, Henra Kay was born in 1947 and Jack Douglas in 1950.
Koma Beryl was devotedly involved with her husband’s work and her children’s schooling, 教堂, 体育及丰富活动. 她在主日学校帮忙, 假日圣经学校, and was a 教堂 camp sponsor throughout their growing-up years. She also supported her husband in his farming and ranching, 专业组织领导, 公益活动, and his long service as a deacon of First Baptist Church of Claude. They enjoyed travels to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, and more. They relished ski time and rest with family in the mountains of Angel Fire, New Mexico.
Koma Beryl has long given back to Hardin-Simmons University. She served on the Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2000, and continued to serve on the Board of Development until 2010. She and Henry were married almost 63 years when he died in 2006. They delighted in helping students earn “an education enlightened by faith” on the Forty Acres. She continues to contribute to not only her local 教堂 scholarship but also a variety of scholarships and projects at HSU. In 2001, she and Henry established the Henry and Koma Beryl Fields Endowed Presidential Scholarship, which allows students with special needs an opportunity to attend HSU. The couple funded the President’s Dining Room on the second floor of Moody Center. 2006年亨利去世后, Koma Beryl established the Henry Ford Fields Memorial Endowment for 体育运动 to benefit the general athletic program.
Her children have given her seven 孙子 and 12 great-孙子. We at Hardin-Simmons University join with her children, 孙子, and great-孙子 as we “rise up and call her blessed.”
It is the high honor of Hardin-Simmons University to recognize one of her own and to formally induct 科玛·贝丽尔·菲尔兹 into the HSU 领袖堂.
