…retired from Hanscomb A.F.B.; 96
TEWKSBURY - Francis Joseph ”Fran” Fidler, age 96, died peacefully on Memorial Day Monday, May 25, at the Winchester Hospital after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of Geraldine A. (Poitrast) Fidler, with whom he had celebrated a sixty-second wedding anniversary this past January 10.
Fran was born in Charlestown, May 8, 1919, one of eight children of the late Edward M. and Anna (Lewis) Fidler, and was raised in Charlestown where he attended Parochial Schools. The family summered at Silver Lake in Wilmington throughout his childhood, and in his later years, at Tri Echo Lake in Milton, NH. After his marriage to “Gerry” they moved to Tewksbury in 1953. In their retirement years, Fran and Gerry had wintered in Vero Beach, Florida.
During WWII, Fran served in the US Navy, South Pacific, and was honorably discharged as a Chief Yeoman. He served aboard the U.S.S. Nevendorf.
He worked as a civilian employee engineer at Hanscomb A.F.B., and retired in 1969.
Fran was a Charter Member of the Tewksbury-Wilmington Elks Lodge 2070, and a former member of the Somerville V.F.W.
Fran was a communicant of St. William’s Parish in Tewksbury.
Fran loved to spend time with friends and family, enjoyed entertaining a “houseful” of people, and will be remembered for the twinkle in his eyes and his ability to make people feel comfortable and smile.
Besides his wife he leaves a daughter, Joyce E. Fidler of Tewksbury; two grandchildren, Victor and his wife Julie (Tremblay) Fidler of Beverly, and Lori A. Pimentel of Maine; five great grandchildren, Jacqueline, Allison, Dannielle, Quinn and Colin; two great great grandchildren, Julianna and Kayden; a sister, Mary Reardon of Stoneham; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his siblings, Ruth Sullivan, Edward Fidler, Anna Currier, William Fidler, Joseph Fidler, and Eleanor Fidler.
Visiting hours Sunday, May 31, from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. His funeral will begin Monday at 9:00 a.m. from the Funeral Home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 in St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St. (Rte. 38) Tewksbury. Burial with Navy Honors will follow at Tewksbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-1942 will be appreciated. tewksburyfuneralhome.com