Dennis Fiehler

Dennis E. Fiehler, 78, of St. Louis, MO, a cherished son, husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on July 5, 2025. Since 2006 he had struggled with a debilitating illness, Waldenstrom's lymphoma, related to his Vietnam service and exposure to agent orange. In 2022 a type of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) was diagnosed and determined to be related to one of the drugs used to treat the lymphoma. Dennis endured extensive treatment for the AML but it finally took his life.

Dennis was born on September 1, 1946 in Cape Girardeau, MO to Edwin and Wanda (Ladreiter) Fiehler. He graduated from Lutheran High School South in St. Louis in 1964, and after a short period of work and school joined the US Army. In 1967 he attended Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, GA and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. A year of service in Vietnam followed including 7 months leading a platoon in a combat unit with the 25th Division. During his service, Dennis received the Combat Infantry Badge, 2 Bronze Stars and an Army Commendation Medal. After returning to the U.S. from Vietnam, he was promoted to Captain and served as company commander for a basic training company at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, until his honorable discharge from the Army at the end of 1970.

Dennis and his wife Judith (Hightower) met in 1968 and were married shortly after his return from Vietnam in October, 1969. They moved to Tallahassee, FL after Ft. Polk and Dennis obtained degrees in finance and accounting from Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University. In Louisville, KY Dennis became a CPA and worked for the public accounting firm, Coopers & Lybrand. Then, in St. Louis, Dennis worked for General Dynamics Corp. in audit and finance roles. The highlight was being transferred with his family to Athens, Greece for 3 years to be the Chief Financial Officer of an investment company established by GD as part of the Greek F-16 program. Dennis completed his career as Chief Financial Officer of the Bulgarian American Enterprise Fund in Sofia, Bulgaria for 14 years.

Dennis was proud of his volunteer accounting work in the 1970's and '80's for Lutheran Ministries Association (now Humanitri).

A special honor of which Dennis was proud was to have been named in the Tallahassee Community College Alumni Hall of Fame 2019.

Dennis was a loving husband, a great father, and a fantastic grandfather. His guidance and unwavering support were the foundations upon which his family grew. Dennis's passing leaves behind a void that can never be filled, yet his legacy endures through the lessons he taught, the memories he created (especially with his photography), and the love he shared. Dennis also enjoyed many outdoor activities including biking, kayaking and scuba diving.

Dennis is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Judith, wonderful son and daughter-in-law, Jason Fiehler and Katie O'Dell of Kirkwood, MO, and cherished grandson Connor Fiehler of Nashville, TN. He is also survived by two sisters and two brothers. He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Erin O'Neal Fiehler, his parents, his father and mother-in-law, David O'Neal and Lucie (Goodman) Hightower, Sr., brother-in-law, David O'Neal Hightower, Jr., and Dennis's mentor and teacher, Dorothy Binger.

The family would like to express their gratitude and love to Dennis's wonderful doctors and nurses at Siteman Cancer Center. An additional thank you to Duo Dogs for visiting Dennis when he was receiving treatments.

In a private military honors burial ceremony, Dennis's cremated remains were interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Erin's remains were also interred with her father.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in his memory may be made to:

Duo Dogs, Inc.

10955 Linpage Place

St. Louis, MO 63132

https://www.duodogs.org