Gary Fields ’68 Doubles Down on His Commitment to the College

Bethany W.Va. (Nov. 13, 2025) – Gary Fields ’68 represents what it means to be a true Bethanian. A Bethany native, Gary grew up just steps from campus and was shaped by the College long before he enrolled. His mother, once a pianist for silent films during the Depression, later served as administrative assistant to presidents Wilbur Cramblet and Dr. Perry Gresham. While working at the College, she pursued her own education beginning at Bethany before earning a master’s degree in education from West Virginia University and then returning to teaching in the Bethany grade school until retirement. 

Thanks to Bethany’s support, Gary was able to pursue his education as a non-traditional student and graduated in his late twenties. He went on to build a successful career in the Treasury Department at what is now Smurfit WestRock, PLC, headquartered in Ireland. 

Gary continues a remarkable Bethany lineage. His great-uncle, Oreon E. Scott, honored each year through the Disciples of Christ lecture series, has a legacy deeply intertwined with the College. Gary’s grandfather, William H. Fields ’01, served as a Disciples of Christ minister in Wheeling, and members of the Fields family founded four churches in the Northern Panhandle in the early 1900s. Across generations, the Scott and Fields families have proudly supported and graduated from Bethany College, with two Scott family members even serving as Bethany’s postmasters. 

Bethany also played a role in Gary’s greatest personal blessing, meeting his wife, Ana Maria, originally from Buenos Aires, while both were building successful finance careers in New York City. Today, Gary and Ana Maria are honoring the College that shaped their journey. In 2025, they will contribute a generous $100,000 matching gift. For every dollar donated through the end of the year, they will match it, doubling the impact up to $100,000. If alumni step up to embrace this extraordinary opportunity, the Fields plan to repeat this gift next year. They are also planning to include Bethany in their estate plans by joining the Bronze Bison Society. 

Gary and Ana Maria’s generosity reflects the heart of Bethany, rooted in tradition, driven by purpose, and always investing in future generations.