Cdr Charles M. Fiske, Usn Ret. Obituary (1928 - 2014)

Charles M. Fiske CDR Charles Matthew Fiske, USN, Retired, 86, of Harrisonburg, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014, at Oak Lea Nursing Home (VMRC), following a brief illness. Charles was born May 23 1928, in Leesburg, VA, the eldest son of Charles William (Bill) Fiske and Elizabeth May (Cooper) Fiske. After graduating from Leesburg High School in 1946, he worked for a construction company building electrical power lines, then apprenticed as a mechanic in a Leesburg automotive dealership before joining the U.S. Navy in 1948 to begin what would become a 30-year Naval career. His first tour of duty was aboard the USS Howard W. Gilmore, where he repaired diesel engines and served as engine operator. He then served as engineer on a torpedo retriever. Following tours of duty at the submarine base in New London, CT and on the submarine tender, USS Orion, he was promoted to W1 Warrant Officer in Feb 1958, under the Warrant Officer Program. He then served as Service Craft Engineer and Small Boat Pool Officer at the Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he met and married the former Gladys Darlene Shepherd, a Lieutenant in the Navy Nurse Corps, who survives. He was then accepted into the Limited Duty Officer Program, where he became a commissioned officer and began a tour of duty aboard the USS Kittiwake. He next served as Ship Superintendant in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. In Sept 1964, he received orders to the South Vietnam Military Support Activity, where he served for 13 months. Following his tour of duty in Vietnam, he became the engineering officer aboard the USS Rigel. He then was assigned shore duty with the Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Force as Force Maintenance Officer. His last ship was the USS Little Rock (home ported in Gaeta, Italy as the Sixth Fleet Flag Ship at the time), where he served as Engineering Officer. His final tour of duty was with the Naval Material Command in Arlington, VA, where he worked as the environmental coordinator and energy engineer. He retired in 1978 at the rank of Commander, and moved with his family to Harrisonburg, where he began a small business repairing electronic equipment, and pursued his hobbies of electronics work, woodworking and computers. He and his wife, Darlene, also traveled around the country, often to ship reunions. He was a founding member of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association (MOAA), where he served as Treasurer for several years. During his military service, Mr. Fiske received the following medals; Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and two Good Conduct Medals In addition to his wife, Darlene, he is survived by two daughters, Sara M. Fiske, of Fairfax, VA, and Elizabeth Fiske Halpern, of Rhinebeck, NY; a son-in-law, John P. Halpern, and a grandson, Jakob H. Halpern, also of Rhinebeck; three brothers, Robert W. Fiske, and his wife, Joyce, of Prescott, AZ; John W. (Billy) Fiske, and his wife, Rose, of New Market, VA; and Richard H. Fiske, and his wife Betty, of Leesburg; five nephews, four nieces, and their families. Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday October 15, 2014 at 11 AM at McMullen Funeral Home with Chaplain Richard Moon officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Woodbine Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Tuesday October 14, 2014 from 6 until 8 PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the MOA Scholarship Fund, C/O Andrea Rand, P.O. Box 320910, Alexandria, VA 22320 Those wishing may share a memory or an online condolence by visiting www.mcmullenfh.com Arrangements entrusted to the McMullen Funeral Home.