George F. Fiske

  Athol  - George F. Fiske, Jr., 86, of 133 Lindsay Lane, Athol, died July 2nd in the Legend Rehabilitation  Center, Gardner, MA surrounded by his family. He was born in West Palm Beach, FL, on February 4, 1926, the son of the late George F. and the late Helen M. (Ryan) Fiske. Mr. Fiske graduated from Fitchburg High School with the class of 1944. He served in the Navy as a Radioman 3/C on the LCS (L) 64 in the Asiatic Pacific area during WWII from 1944 to 1946. He enjoyed attending the USS Bush reunions which were held in many states. Mr. Fiske graduated from the New England Institute of Embalming and Funeral Directing with the Class of 1950. He worked as an apprentice and embalmer for the former F. J. Crosby Funeral Home in Boston, MA and briefly worked at the former Mallahy Funeral Home in Fitchburg, MA.  In February of 1952, Mr. Fiske opened the Fiske Funeral Home in Athol, MA.  He and Barbara M. Thompson of Gardner were married in 1953 and together operated the Fiske Funeral Home for over 45 years. Mr. Fiske completed the eye  enucleation course at the University of Iowa and was one of the first funeral directors to be licensed in Massachusetts to perform eye enucleation. He was a former member of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. Since 1951, Mr. Fiske was a member and past Exalted Ruler of the Athol-Orange Lodge of Elks.  He was a member of the Edward H. Phillips American Legion Post 102 and former member of its color guard.   Mr. Fiske was a bank director at the former Athol-Clinton Cooperative Bank from 1962-2008. He was also a member, president, and district director of the former Athol Exchange Club.  Mr. Fiske was a communicant at the Church of Our Lady Immaculate since 1951 and a former CCD teacher.  He was a member of the 4th degree Knights of Columbus, the Athol Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the YMCA Century Club, the Athol-Petersham Grange, the Athol Historical Society, the Athol Radio Club, the Mt. Grace Chapter of AARP, the Friends of the Athol Council on Aging, the Fitchburg Art Museum, Packard Heights Association, and a former member of the Petersham Curling Club. He was a member of the following former organizations; the Carpenter Concert Series of Petersham, the John Rogers Statuary Group, and the Holy Name Society. Mr. Fiske was an avid ham radio operator for over 60 years; his handle was KRIT.  He was active in the Navy Mars program from Antarctica NOEYX.    He enjoyed painting landscapes, listening to classical music, playing the piano, and participating in antique car club shows.  He was a member of the North Quabbin Cruisers, Mid-Sate Antique Auto, Connecticut Valley Region, Yankee Wood Chapter, National Woodie Club, Antique Automobile Club of America, and the Plymouth Owners Club, Inc.  For many years, he collected and restored John Rogers Statuary as well as antique cars, including his 1929 Ford Model A Sport Coupe and 1941 Plymouth Westchester  Suburban, Special Deluxe Woodie Wagon. He leaves his wife of 59 years: Barbara M. (Thompson) Fiske; two sons, George F. Fiske III of Brockton, John M. Fiske of Worcester; one daughter, Jane A. Slarskey  and her husband David of Leominster; seven grandchildren: Kyle  Fiske of Somerville, Jennifer  Gilman and her husband Jamie of North Brookfield, Mercury Fiske of Worcester, Dwight and Drew Fiske of Brockton, Julie and Jacob Slarskey of Leominster;  two great grandchildren, Erica Gilman and Jyzear Fiske ; and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. He is pre-deceased by his brother, Gerard Fiske and a grandson, Lance Fiske. Funeral services will be held July 7th at 10:00 a.m. in the Church of Our Lady Immaculate, 192 School St., Athol, MA.  Burial will follow in Silver Lake Cemetery, Athol. Calling hours will be held July 6th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Fiske Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, 1356 Main St., Athol, MA 01331. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Church of Our Lady Immaculate Building Fund, 192 School St., Athol, MA 01331. For more information or to sign our online guest book please visit www.fiskemurphymack.com. Fiske Murphy & Mack Funeral Home 1356 Main Street, Athol is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });