Pleasant Shields

SHIELDS, Pleasant C. “P.C.,” of Richmond, died September 25, 2016. P.C. was born July 12, 1917, at Dry Fork, Va. He was the son of the late W. Haile and Lucy C. Shields. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 74 years, Hazel Parrott Shields; sisters, Minnie Shields Harris and Elizabeth Shields Davis; niece, Diane Harrison Lawrence Faust; and nephew, Kennon Poteat Jr. Survivors include nieces, Dr. Bettie Anne Davis and her husband, Dr. Matt Fisher of Greensburg, Pa. and Faye Poteat of Danville, Va.; great-niece, Carrie Lawrence and her fiance', Cody Daniel Thomas of Winston Salem, N.C.; great-nephew, Kennon Poteat III and his wife, Julie Wilson of Washington, D.C.; and other nieces and nephews.    He attended the public schools in his native county, graduating from Spring Garden High School in 1935. He entered Virginia Tech in the fall of 1935, graduating in June 1939. Shields was a longtime supporter of both academics and athletics at his alma mater. Upon graduation from Tech, he accepted a position with a school program in his native county, teaching high school from 1939 to 1941 before volunteering for the Army in June 1941, under the Army One Year Program in effect at the time. Pearl Harbor erased the One Year Program and as a result, he served from June 1941 until October 1945. Serving with the famed Fifth Armored Division, the first troops to fight on German soil in the ETO, he was released from active duty as Chief Warrant Officer W-2, having been awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, five Battle Stars and numerous lesser awards.     On release from active duty, he joined the Army Reserves Program, retiring from the same in 1977 as Chief Warrant Officer W-4. After 36 years of service, active and reserve, he was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal. In October 1945, he returned to the Pittsylvania County School System, teaching at Brosville High School. In June 1946, he was appointed a probation/parole officer and assigned the Danville District Office. In February 1948, he was appointed as an area supervisor and transferred to the Parole Board Central Office in Richmond.     In July 1950, he was appointed executive secretary of the Board, serving in that capacity until April 1962, when he was appointed to the (then three-member) Parole Board by the late Governor Harrison. He served for 20-plus years on the Parole Board, with the last 10 years as chairman, having been appointed by then-Governor Holton. Shields enjoyed appointments by both Democratic and Republican governors. On retirement from the Board in 1982, he accepted the position of chief lobbyist for the Virginia Governmental Employee Association (VGEA). On retirement from there, he was recognized by the General Assembly of Virginia in their joint resolution #867 on “51 years service to the Commonwealth and its employees.”    A lifelong Methodist, he was quite active in the Lay Program, serving one church for 12 years as Lay leader and in other capacities, including teaching in the Sunday school program some 30-plus years. He and his wife became members of Reveille United Methodist Church in 1999, where he continued to be active in church programs. Active in religious, fraternal and civic affairs, he served as a member and President of VGEA, a member and past president of Southern States Correctional Association, past commander of the former American Legion Post 250, past president of the National Compact Administrators Association, a member of Carter Lodge No. 323 A.F. & A.M., a member and past president of the Richmond SERTOMA Club and a member of the Virginia and American Correctional Associations.    A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 29, at the Central Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 3215 Cutshaw Ave., with the family receiving friends 1 hour prior to the service. On Friday, September 30, the family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to noon at Townes Funeral Home, 215 W. Main St., Danville. A private graveside service will follow in Highland Burial Park, Danville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Samaritan Fund or the Employee Fund at The Hermitage, 1600 Westwood Ave., Richmond, Va. 23227, where he and his wife received tender, loving care and support in the sunset of life since 2004. As Dizzy Dean said, “If you dunit, it aint braggin. I dunit.”   Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street is serving the Shields family.