Judith Judy Field

Judith J. Field, age 79, longtime resident of Northville, passed away on June 29, 2019. She was born on September 30, 1939 in Bucyrus, Ohio; daughter of William and Eva (nee Miller) Judy. Judith was united in marriage to Nathaniel L. Field on January 25, 1959; they spent 60 loving years devoted to one another.

Judith was as avid reader, especially mysteries. A world traveler, her adventures took her on many cruises, as well as places like South American, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Africa, Russia, and all over Europe. Judith also enjoyed spending time at the summer home she shared with her husband in the Tawas area. She enjoyed playing backgammon and was a long-time member of the Flint Backgammon Club.

An obituary shared with the U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF) reads:

Carol Joy Cole shared the sad news that Judy Field passed away Saturday June 29 after a long struggle with cancer. Judy was a retired Flint librarian and Information Science Professor at Wayne State University. Her loving and caring husband Nathaniel (THAN) accompanied her to ABT tournaments and weekly Flint Area Backgammon Club tournaments. Carol noted: “The Flint Club sends deep condolences to Judy’s husband Nathaniel, who accompanied her to tournaments and often helped the director with the drawsheets.” She was a Senior Master in the Flint Backgammon Club, and a generous sponsor of the Michigan Summer Championships for many years. She loved traveling to ABT tournaments, as well as frequent international travel for business or pleasure. She won the Intermediate division at the Atlanta Spring Classic in 2016 and the Advanced division of the New Mexico Open in 2012. She finished 2 ^nd at the 2011 Wisconsin State tournament and 2 ^nd in the 2010 Minnesota Championship. She was 4 ^th /5 ^th in the Advanced division at the 2017 Cherry Blossom Backgammon Championship and 3 ^rd /4 ^th at the 2016 Silicon Valley Open. She won 2 ^nd Consolation at the 2014 Wisconsin Open as well as the 2013 Michigan Summer Championships and the 2013 Chicago Open. She was a Silver Founding Sponsor of the U.S. Backgammon Federation. I delighted in seeing her at tournaments – knowing I was a fellow bibliophile, she often brought me books she thought I would enjoy. She will be remembered.

An obituary shared with Judy’s coworkers reads:

Judy Field, a retired faculty member from the School of Information Sciences (SIS), Wayne State University, died June 29, 2019. A graduate of the University of Michigan, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in both library science and business administration, Judy held a variety of leadership positions over a 50-year career. Before joining the SIS faculty as a senior lecturer in 1989, Judy Field served as Library Manager, Western Electric/Bell Telephone Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN; Director, University of Michigan, Institute for International Commerce Library; Head, General Reference Department, Flint Public Library, Flint, MI; Director, Legislative Reference Library, Minnesota State Legislature, St. Paul, MN.  Judy Field was very active in the Special Library Association (SLA) where she served as President 1997-1998. For more than a decade Judy was involved in IFLA, where she served as Chair, Division III (Library Services) and as a member of the Professional Committee and member of the Governing Board (2009-2011). She was active and held positions in other professional associations, such as the American Society of Information Science and Technology (ASIST), Michigan Library Association (MLA) and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA). She was an external review panel member or chair for numerous accreditation visits conducted by the Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA). Judy was invited as a speaker at numerous national and international professional events. She published several articles and opinion pieces and received numerous awards from a variety of national and international professional organizations. National directories included biographical notes that highlight Judy Field’s professional career ( Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who in the Midwest, and Who’s Who in Library and Information Services ). Upon her retirement from Wayne State, Judy established a generous fund, the Judith J. Field Scholarship, aimed at recognizing scholastic achievement and innovation in approach to librarianship. Judy’s impact on her students, on her colleagues, on SIS, and on the library and information science profession was immeasurable, and her loss is felt deeply throughout the campus and the library world. She was a dedicated educator and a passionate professional, known for her keen sense of humor and her unique sense of wisdom, which she was always eager to share. Judy’s kindness and generosity will be sorely missed, but her spirit lives on.

Additional accomplishments shared with the family read:

Judy Field joined SLA in 1964 and during her membership in SLA she has served as chair of the Business and Finance Division twice and once for the Library Management Division. She served on the SLA Board of Directors from 1975-1977, 1986-1989, and 1996-1999, that included serving as the 1997-1998 President. She has served on numerous committees over the years for the Michigan chapter, several divisions and the Association. She has done numerous talks over the years internationally on a variety of topics but regularly discusses the need for quality customer service and the importance of mentoring in developing our future leaders. After spending half of her career as a practicing librarian, she spent the last half as a library educator teaching a special libraries course, placing students in practicums and serving as a liaison to the SLA student group. Field has also served on the ALA Committee on Accreditation and been a member of several review teams. She has been honored by the Association by being made a Fellow, recipient of the Rose Vormelker Award, the John Cotton Dana Award and a Presidential Citation. After serving two terms as Chair of the Knowledge Management Section of IFLA, she became Chari of Division III, Library Services and thus served on the IFLA’s Professional Committee and the Governing Board.

Judith is survived by her beloved husband, Nathaniel L. Field. She was preceded in death by her parents and 2 brothers. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions would be appreciated to the Habitat for Humanity of Michigan , 618 S. Creyts Rd., Ste. A, Lansing, MI 48917.