Wednesday, July 8, 2026 11:10 am

Emilie Thornton Fields, age 81 of Forest City died Sunday, July 5, 2026.

Emilie was born February 10, 1945, in Rutherford County and was a daughter of the late Milton and Ronell Towery Thornton.

Emilie was an educator having taught at Dunbar Elementary School and Forrest Hunt Elementary School where she retired after 26 years service with Rutherford County Schools.

She was a member of Concord Baptist Church and a graduate of East Rutherford High School. She was a Junior Marshall, Honor Student, and Editor in Chief of the Cavalier Staff as well as a member of the Debating Team and Public Speaking. She received her Master of Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Donna.

Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Robert (Bob) Fields, her son, Scott Fields and wife Stefanie of Waxhaw, her daughter, Leigh Terhardt of Forest City, her brother, Stanley Thornton of Bostic, and sister, Brenda Furches of Clemmons, three grandchildren, Kayla Terhardt, Chase Fields, and Callie Fields.

The memorial service will be held at 3 o'clock on Saturday, July 11 in The Padgett and King Chapel with Mr. Bobby Connor officiating. The family will receive friends from 2 until 3 o'clock prior to the service.

An online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com

Padgett~King Mortuary and Crematory is serving the family.