San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) - Thursday, March 19, 1992
Daniel Norte Bessie built his "Field of Dreams" on King Street in La Mesa back in the early 1960s, some 30 years before screen star Kevin Costner did the same in an Iowa corn field.
Mr. Bessie transformed a dirt diamond-in-the-rough into a Little League playing field -- complete with grass, underground dugouts and concession stands.
Mr. Bessie died Monday at age 84 of a heart attack at Kaiser Hospital. But it was not before he watched actress Loni Anderson film a TV movie, "Plan of Attack," at Vista La Mesa Park, complete with a baseball scene on his own field of dreams.
Born in North Dakota, Mr. Bessie joined the Army during World War II and retired here as a civilian.
He worked as a buyer for Rohr Industries Inc. and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical until he retired in the early 1970s.
Known around his neighborhood as "Mr. Fix-it," when his three children wanted skateboards, he crafted them himself. And then he made 40 or so more skateboards for his children's friends.
"Neighbors always turned to my dad for help," said his daughter, Jeri Swank. "Like the time a neighbor's small son was choking on a toy. The father rushed him to our house; he was actually blue. My dad grabbed the child by the feet and shook him upside-down until the toy dislodged."
Other survivors include his wife, Mary; twin sons, Patrick and Michael, both of San Diego; and two grandchildren.
A Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today in Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, followed by burial at Greenwood Memorial Park.
Daniel Norte Bessie built his "Field of Dreams" on King Street in La Mesa back in the early 1960s, some 30 years before screen star Kevin Costner did the same in an Iowa corn field.
Mr. Bessie transformed a dirt diamond-in-the-rough into a Little League playing field -- complete with grass, underground dugouts and concession stands.
Mr. Bessie died Monday at age 84 of a heart attack at Kaiser Hospital. But it was not before he watched actress Loni Anderson film a TV movie, "Plan of Attack," at Vista La Mesa Park, complete with a baseball scene on his own field of dreams.
Born in North Dakota, Mr. Bessie joined the Army during World War II and retired here as a civilian.
He worked as a buyer for Rohr Industries Inc. and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical until he retired in the early 1970s.
Known around his neighborhood as "Mr. Fix-it," when his three children wanted skateboards, he crafted them himself. And then he made 40 or so more skateboards for his children's friends.
"Neighbors always turned to my dad for help," said his daughter, Jeri Swank. "Like the time a neighbor's small son was choking on a toy. The father rushed him to our house; he was actually blue. My dad grabbed the child by the feet and shook him upside-down until the toy dislodged."
Other survivors include his wife, Mary; twin sons, Patrick and Michael, both of San Diego; and two grandchildren.
A Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today in Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, followed by burial at Greenwood Memorial Park.
San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) - Thursday, March 19, 1992
Daniel Norte Bessie built his "Field of Dreams" on King Street in La Mesa back in the early 1960s, some 30 years before screen star Kevin Costner did the same in an Iowa corn field.
Mr. Bessie transformed a dirt diamond-in-the-rough into a Little League playing field -- complete with grass, underground dugouts and concession stands.
Mr. Bessie died Monday at age 84 of a heart attack at Kaiser Hospital. But it was not before he watched actress Loni Anderson film a TV movie, "Plan of Attack," at Vista La Mesa Park, complete with a baseball scene on his own field of dreams.
Born in North Dakota, Mr. Bessie joined the Army during World War II and retired here as a civilian.
He worked as a buyer for Rohr Industries Inc. and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical until he retired in the early 1970s.
Known around his neighborhood as "Mr. Fix-it," when his three children wanted skateboards, he crafted them himself. And then he made 40 or so more skateboards for his children's friends.
"Neighbors always turned to my dad for help," said his daughter, Jeri Swank. "Like the time a neighbor's small son was choking on a toy. The father rushed him to our house; he was actually blue. My dad grabbed the child by the feet and shook him upside-down until the toy dislodged."
Other survivors include his wife, Mary; twin sons, Patrick and Michael, both of San Diego; and two grandchildren.
A Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today in Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, followed by burial at Greenwood Memorial Park.
Daniel Norte Bessie built his "Field of Dreams" on King Street in La Mesa back in the early 1960s, some 30 years before screen star Kevin Costner did the same in an Iowa corn field.
Mr. Bessie transformed a dirt diamond-in-the-rough into a Little League playing field -- complete with grass, underground dugouts and concession stands.
Mr. Bessie died Monday at age 84 of a heart attack at Kaiser Hospital. But it was not before he watched actress Loni Anderson film a TV movie, "Plan of Attack," at Vista La Mesa Park, complete with a baseball scene on his own field of dreams.
Born in North Dakota, Mr. Bessie joined the Army during World War II and retired here as a civilian.
He worked as a buyer for Rohr Industries Inc. and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical until he retired in the early 1970s.
Known around his neighborhood as "Mr. Fix-it," when his three children wanted skateboards, he crafted them himself. And then he made 40 or so more skateboards for his children's friends.
"Neighbors always turned to my dad for help," said his daughter, Jeri Swank. "Like the time a neighbor's small son was choking on a toy. The father rushed him to our house; he was actually blue. My dad grabbed the child by the feet and shook him upside-down until the toy dislodged."
Other survivors include his wife, Mary; twin sons, Patrick and Michael, both of San Diego; and two grandchildren.
A Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today in Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, followed by burial at Greenwood Memorial Park.
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