William A. Fisk, 66 years old, died Wednesday afternoon at Miami Baptist hospital. He leaves two brothers, Ira Fisk of Ottawa and M.T. Fisk of Rupert, Idaho, and two sisters, Mrs. Emma Henderson of Wyandotte and Mrs. Ella Nettleship of Rupert.
Funeral services and burial were held Thursday afternoon at Ottawa cemetery under direction of Cooper Undertaking company.
NEWPORT NEWS - Retired Lt. Col. James Theodore Fisk, USAF, 82, died Sept. 6, 2005, at Riverside Regional Medical Center as the result of acute leukemia.
A resident of Newport News for more than four decades, he was born in Rupert, Idaho, on May 24, 1923. He was the youngest son of Lilbert Lloyd Fisk and Mary Lucille Fisk, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Maureen F. Stefan and Margaret Fisk, and his first wife, Beatrice Saville Fisk.
He leaves to cherish his memory, Novelie Genell Fisk, his beloved wife, companion and best friend of more than 30 years, and her children, whom he regarded as his own, Janice M. Nascimento of Danville, Va., Audrey I. Bryant and her husband, David R. Bryant, of Cambridge, Mass., and Gloria F. Hobbs and her husband, Ricky L. Hobbs, of Smithfield, Va. He is also survived by his brother, Richard L. Fisk of Bosie, Idaho, and his sister, Mary Fisk of Phoenix, Ariz. From his marriage to the late Beatrice Saville Fisk, he is survived by two daughters, Mary F. Forrest of Mathews, Va., and Gail F. Farmer of Newport News, Va., and one son, James M. Fisk of Maine. He is survived by five step-granddaughters, Shannon G. Hatchett and her husband, Justin Hatchett, of Orange Park, Fla., Lindsay R. Gourley, also of Orange Park, Danielle E. Nascimento of Danville, Maggon G. Hobbs of Carrollton, Va., and Valerie J. Bryant of Cambridge, Mass., and one step-great-granddaughter, Katelyn M. Hatchett of Orange Park.
He is also survived by several grandchildren from his marriage to the late Beatrice Saville, including two very special grandchildren, Anthony Forrest and Michael Forrest of Mathews County, and Chance Fisk of Searsport, Maine.
On Jan. 7, 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Force under the aviation cadet program. After completion of fighter pilot training, as a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 15th Army Air Force, the top scoring Mustang group of the Mediterranean Theater, operating out of San Saverno, Italy. He completed 40 combat missions in the P-51 Mustang as cover for B-17 and B-24 bombers on bombing missions over southern Europe. He received an honorable discharge in March of 1945, and returned to Idaho, but remained in the reserves. At the beginning of the Korean conflict, he was called to active duty as a first lieutenant, and after completion of training as a maintenance officer and operations transport pilot, he spent one tour of duty in Korea, where he was promoted to captain. From Korea, he was transferred to Langley Air Force Base, where he served as squadron commander and base maintenance officer, and was subsequently promoted to major. From Langley, he was transferred to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, in 1965. When the Vietnam conflict began, he served one tour of duty in operations as command pilot, and logged 463 combat hours in 101 missions. He was sent back to Langley from Vietnam, again serving as base maintenance officer, and promoted to lieutenant colonel. He retired on a medical disability in 1969. During his military career, among other awards, he was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Military Merit Award.
He was known and loved for his generosity, his loyalty and his unfailing sense of humor. Despite declining health for many years, he never indulged in self-pity -- his first concern was always for others. He deeply loved his own and his extended family. He firmly believed in the precepts of duty, honor and country. He needed few friends -- his family and extended family were enough. He was truly an exceptional man -- one of a kind. He will be always loved, always missed, always remembered.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Weymouth Funeral Home, with a memorial service at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will be in Peninsula Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410.