Clifton Ray Shields (Cliff) passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on July 31, 2015. Honey, here are the facts of my brief history so you know where I have been and the things I have done. P.S. I love you with all my heart. Cliff
I was born April 22, 1926, in Tooele, Utah, to Clifton and Malinda Maude Pollock Shields. While I was a senior at South High School, at the age of 17, I volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After graduation, I began active duty in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Saratoga CV-3, an aircraft carrier. I survived an attack after the U.S.S. Saratoga was hit by seven Japanese kamikaze suicide planes in the battle for Iwo Jima, which caused tremendous damage to the ship and killed many of my shipmates. There were 495 casualties and 149 dead. The Saratoga received nine battle stars during World War II in the South Pacific. After discharge from the Navy World War II in 1946, I attended the U of U for a short time. I worked in Civil Service at Tooele Army Depot and Dugway Proving Ground. I retired after 34 years as a branch chief. After retiring from Civil Service, I worked at Lockheed-EMSCO as a test engineer for six years, then worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for six years as a consultant munitions specialist during the restoration project of the Gerstle River Expansion area, a formerly used defense site in Alaska. I married Bonnie Jean Worsley April 20,1949. She preceded me in death on Nov. 17, 1991. I later met and married Maxine Johnson Long Dec. 24, 1992. I was preceded in death by my mother and father, two sisters, Melba and Pearl, and my son, Douglas Ray. I am survived by my wife Maxine and daughter Julie Shields, my stepson Steve Long (Rowena) and my stepdaughter Debbie Long; my grandchildren Jennifer (Chance), Krista (Paul), Mark (Angie), Brady (Gina), Dani (Hope), Dakota, Dennis, Derek, Madison, Haley, Dillon, Garrett; 10(?) great grandchildren, many nephews and nieces and all of my new family after I married Maxine. I loved my hunting, fishing and golfing trips with my family and many friends. I loved you all.
Cliff will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. A viewing will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, from 6-8 p.m. at Tate Mortuary (110 S. Main, Tooele, Utah). Another viewing will be Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 from 10-11 a.m. with the funeral services to be held at 11 a.m. Internment will be at the Tooele Cemetery. The family of Cliff would like to give a special thank you to the Tooele Hospital and the LDS hospital in Salt Lake City for his special care during his three-week stay. He made them smile and laugh and they made him and his family feel cared for.