Kenneth Fischler, Sr

Obituary Kenneth Joseph Fischler, Sr., 85, of Morehead City, died Tuesday, December 22, 2015, at Crystal Coast Hospice House, Newport. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 28, at First United Methodist Church, Morehead City, with the Rev. E. Powell Osteen, Jr., officiating. Mr. Fischler was born August 3, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY, to Benjamin Louis and Lily Bonis Fischler. He graduated from Cornell University with a major in marine biology. Following college and Officer Candidate School, he served two years in the U.S. Navy as a deep sea diver. After his stint in the Navy, he accepted a position at the marine laboratory on Pivers Island in Carteret County, NC, beginning his career as a biometrician for the U.S. Fisheries Department. There, Mr. Fischler was instrumental in launching the governments blue crab program and supervising data analysis for two nascent computer systems. He married Jerry Nelson of Morehead City, on September 15, 1956. They began their family with son Ken, Jr. in 1957 and daughter Karen in 1959. Furthering his education at the University of Washington in Seattle, Mr. Fischler earned a masters degree in statistics, then returned to work at Pivers Island. Daughter Dorothy was born in 1965 and son Daniel in 1968. The next year, Mr. Fischler began a career in financial advising, where he established countless relationships until his retirement from Wachovia Securities in 2005. A man of varied interests, he enjoyed the outdoors, particularly clamming down east, and imparted his love of local seafood and wildlife to his grandchildren. Mr. Fischler valued education and had a heart for helping those with reading difficulties, volunteering with the Carteret Literacy Council for 15 years. He was active in the community, leading advisory councils in the Carteret County school system and working to develop the Morehead City port. An avid supporter of the Tar Heels, Mr. Fischler sent four children through UNC-Chapel Hill and was happy that multiple grandchildren chose Carolina for college, too. Known to the grandchildren and their friends as "PopPop", Mr. Fischlers biggest joy in life was cheering on his children and eight grandchildren in their many activities; he was a constant presence on the sidelines and in the bleachers across North Carolina. His family is grateful to God for his legacy of love and integrity. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jerry Nelson Fischler; son Kenneth Joseph Fischler, Jr. and wife, Laura of Raleigh; daughter Karen Fischler Rudolph and husband, Sanford, of Winston-Salem; daughter Dorothy Fischler Carr and husband, David, of Morehead City; son Daniel Glen Fischler and wife, Jeannie, of Morehead City; sister, Dorothy Fischler of Titusville, FL; grandchildren, Jordan Rudolph, Courtney Rudolph, Emily Carr, Jackson Fischler, Caroline Rudolph, Jared Carr, Hannah Fischler, and Daniel Fischler, Jr. In addition to his parents, his sister, Arline Fischler Peterson, and brother, Jerry Fischler, preceded him in death. The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home on Sunday, December 27, from 5:00 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Carteret Literacy Council, 4907 Bridges Street Ext., Suite D F, Morehead City, NC 28557 or First United Methodist Church, 900 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557. Visitation 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ,Sunday, December 27, 2015 Brooks Funeral Home 201 Professional Circle Morehead City, NC 28557 Funeral Service 2:00 p.m. ,Monday, December 28, 2015 First United Methodist Church 900 Arendell Street Morehead City, NC 28557 Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Kenneth Fischler, Sr