Walter T. Fandel Jr.

1926 - 2020

Theodore Fandel Jr., having lived a good long life passed away on May 10th, 2020 at age 94.
He was born January 7th, 1926 in Arlington, MA to Walter Theodore Fandel Sr. and Katherine Fandel née Rack.
Walter is survived by three of his four children and their spouses: Jean-Paul Fandel and Macarena Camuñas-Baena, Michèle Fandel Bonner and Anthony John Bonner, and Peter and Corinne Fandel, plus seven grandchildren (James, Ian, Chloé, Pilar, Lucy, Théo, and Nico) and four great grandchildren. Sadly, Walter's son, Alex, predeceased him in 2003 at the age of 43.
Walter received his baptism of air at the age of 10 in a Boeing Stearman biplane. So commenced his love of airplanes and everything mechanical. Walter was an enthusiastic model airplane builder as a teenager and served in WW2 assigned to a post repairing target drones in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Subsequently, Walter used the GI Bill to attend night school at Northeastern University while working as a draftsman and pursuing a passion for figure roller skating, eventually placing 4th in the nationals. Upon graduating Northeastern with honors in both his mechanical engineering and business degrees, he joined the CIA as a civilian employee and moved to Turkey where he was responsible for maintaining and calibrating the navigation system on the U2 aircraft. Walter left the program to marry Nicole Lesgardeur, whom he met at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair on a blind date.
Upon returning to the USA Walter and Nicole settled in Carlisle in a home he largely built himself. Walter continued to work as a mechanical engineer designing gear systems for, among other projects, an anti-ballistic-missile satellite and the Apollo spacecraft. Seven years later, and now a family of six, the Fandels moved to Mannedorf Switzerland where Walter worked selling cryogenic equipment having transitioned from engineering to technical sales. In 1968, after four years in Switzerland, the family returned to Carlisle to finish raising their children while Walter continued working in international sales for the precision measurement industry and laser industries.
Walter and Nicole parted ways in 1987 and Walter soon transitioned to a retirement summering on Cape Cod, sailing his little sloop, and skiing winters with the fellow members of his beloved Penguin ski club in Bartlett, NH. Walter continued sailing to the age of 85 and skiing until 88. At 92, Walter had his last flight, in another Boeing Stearman biplane. His final years were occupied reading books and enjoying good food and wine which he was still able to do until his final holiday celebrations last Christmas with his children and several of his grandchildren in attendance.