Frederick Herman Feske

Frederick Herman Feske died on Saturday, January 4, 2014 peacefully in his sleep at the age of 92. The son of the late Herman and Jeanne Feske, he was the loving, devoted husband of the late Gloria Forestiere Feske, with whom he enjoyed 56 wonderful years of marriage. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Claire Forestiere Olivier; nephew & nieces: Harry Joseph Olivier, Jeanne Olivier Dineen (Robert), Dr. Maureen Olivier, Frances Olivier Doherty (Mark), Catherine Olivier, Judge Rebecca Olivier (Mac); great-nephews & nieces: Matthew Hart (Charlotte), Michael Hart, Paul Olivier, David Hart, Meaghan Doherty, Delaney Hand, Harry Fink, Jack Doherty, Emily Hart, Jeanne Claire Fink, Catherine Doherty, and Jake Dickinson; great-great niece and nephew: Caroline and Philip Hart, as well as his closest friends: Patricia & Ronnie Beaulieu, their children Kenny LeBlanc, Ronnie Beaulieu, Jr. (Stacey), and Wendy Beaulieu Holland (Michael), and their grandchildren: Brittani, Heather, Hunter, Hillary, Daniel, and Claire Holland; and Ronnie, III, Sierra, & Dakota Beaulieu. Born in Franklin, LA on Christmas Eve 1921, he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps for three years before heading off to World War II. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (now the 8th Air Force), was assigned to the 305 Bomb Group H (B-17 aircraft) under the command of Gen. Curtis Lemay, and stationed at Chelveston Airbase, England. He served as a radio operator on a B-17 bomber. Between December 1942 and May 1945, the 305 Group lost 769 men and 174 B-17s. He flew 19 missions over Germany; then, due to the high B-17 casualty rate and his air experience, he was selected to be a senior radio instructor training airmen newly arrived in England. He received the Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. After the war he worked as an engineering draftsman for Grinnell International, designing and supervising the installation of commercial sprinkler systems, including the system at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. An artist, wood-worker, gardener, and champion show dog trainer, his passion was old-time amusement park carousels, carving and painting miniature horses for the table top carousels he built. Returning to Lakeview after Hurricane Katrina, he designed and built the Japanese Garden he had always wanted, including a waterfall, and liked to sit outside in the evening greeting passersby. An inveterate extrovert, he loved talking to people and lived life to the fullest, spending his retirement years enjoying travel, dining out, ball games, and coffee houses, particularly the past three as a fixture at Lakeview Brew, where he was known and loved by all. He was a true New Orleans character, bringing smiles and laughter to everyone he encountered and making new friends of all ages until the end. We love him and miss him dearly, but his strong spirit, jocular approach to life, and loving heart will sustain and live with us forever. His family is deeply grateful to his devoted care-givers: Gloria Barber, Guadalupe Lopez, Joanne McCloskey, & Fernando Reyes. Friends and staff at Fresenius Dialysis Center, Lakeview Brew, and the Homedale Inn are invited to join his family for a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at St. Angela Merici Church, 901 Beverly Garden Drive; visitation at the church will begin at 11:00 a.m.; interment at St. Roch Cemetery No. 2. Funeral arrangements completed by Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home. The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories and condolences at www.lakelawnmetairie.com.