Obituary of Candace Sabrina Fields-Rogers

Candace Sabrina was born in Miami, Florida on December 19, 1966 to the late N. Abraham Fields and Shirley Rebecca Payne-Fields. She was also preceded in death by her infant son, Miles Rogers. 

 “Candy” grew up in Miami with adored big brother, Victor, and little sister, Melissa. They grew through the usual sibling stages to unusual adult devotion to each other. Candace attended the local elementary schools, mainly the renown Charles R. Drew Elementary, then Norland Junior and graduated from Norland Senior High School Class of 1984.  She matriculated for a short time at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia and then transferred to Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. While living in Clarksville, Tennessee Candace earned a Masters degree in Science from Austin Peay University and later a second Masters in Administration and Supervision from George Mason University in Virginia. 

“Mrs. Rogers” was a born teacher.  From the days when she would come home from kindergarten to instruct her dolls and teddy bear to her time as an exceptional middle school science instructor, high school teacher leader and curriculum writer and on to assistant principal at Freedom High School in Woodbridge, Virginia. 

The future Mrs. Rogers only spent a short time at Morris Brown College, but that was when and where she met the love of her life – Travis Tyrone Rogers. They were married on June 30, 1990 in Miami, Floridaat Church of the Open Door, Congregational, United Church of Christ where she had been christened. To this union were born a son Branford Demar and a daughter Taylor Mackenzie. 

Candace, the Mom, delighted in her children! She enjoyed their baby years, the childhood days of dance recitals, soccer, baseball, and basketball; the high school times – with both as excellent students, Taylor’s cheerleading and volleyball and Branford’s basketball and basketball and basketball. Candace was blessed to see them off to college and Branford onto a career.  “Ma Dukes” delighted in her children. 

When Candace and Travis moved their family to Alexandria, Virginia they became stalwart members of First Baptist Church of Glenarden. A man and woman of faith, they strengthened their spiritual journey with the studies in disciple’s growth and the couples ministry. They saw their children through churchschool and baptism – a family of faith and Godly obedience. 

Candace Fields-Rogers was a woman on the go. After work – on to her husband’s bedside. Loving and uniquely communicating with him; providing all personal care and supportive items imaginable, dealing with paperwork and meetings – Candace was living her wedding vows. Recently, she began to resume, even expand, her schedule.  Her new focus on fitness found Candace religiously walking her 10,000+ steps daily.  Another new focus on things out of the box meant zip-lining and archery. Candace loved tulips and dreamed of seeing the tulip fields in Holland, so far now she went to dig bulbs at a tulip farm.

Another joy in Candace’s life was her involvement as a soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A debutante in the first group of AKA Le Peale Debs in Miami, Florida, she later became a devoted soror initiated into Rho Sigma Omega chapter in Americus, Georgia. Candace was tireless in “service to all mankind” throughout her twenty-eight years of membership. Her final act of service was participating with a group of sorors who were guiding the chartering of a new Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter in Virginia. 

Involved and active describes Candace’s days. No catering to the bumps and rough places, but stepping forward into life and reaching for new heights. You go girl! Could have been her motto.

Loving, joyous, bubbly, sincere, devoted, faithful – our Candace. God has embraced her. 

She leaves to cherish her beautiful essence: a loving husband, Travis, and adoring children Branford and Taylor; her mother, Shirley Payne-Fields – Atlanta; siblings- Victor Fields (Nina) – Minneapolis, Melissa Fields – Atlanta, Parrish Dawson (Anna) – Miami, Debbie Counts (George) – Charleston; mother-in-law Ruth Rogers and father-in-law Roy Rogers- Cordele, Georgia, brother-in-law Roderick Rogers- Columbus, Georgia; nieces, Christa Fields, Leianna Dawson, Zoe Counts; nephews, Elliott and Wesley Fields, Adam Dawson, Miles Counts; great-aunt Alberta Payne Parrish, and beloved cousins, godmother Gladys Mitchell; incredible friends: Chandois Phillips and Iris Phillips-Pullman, Effie McCartney Donaldson, Kim Hunley, Janice Brownlee, Allie Hollister, Pat and Gracus Dunn, Regina and Charles Hamilton, Jeff and Jennifer Milton, Vanessa Jackson, Angela Carter; and many, many loving relatives, sorors, co-workers and friends. 

In lieu of flowers, an account has been established for the college fund for Taylor Rogers.

Please make checks payable to:

Taylor Rogers College Fund or

Cashapp: $CanFieldsRogers1908

If any other questions on inquiries about how to help the family please reach out to Branford at:

BDRogersFamily@gmail.com