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It is with great sadness that the family of William Richard “Dick” Fene announces his passing on July 20, 2018 at the age of 86. Dick passed peacefully at his home, lounging on the deck with his beloved dog, Kiera. Dick will be lovingly remembered by his wife of almost 60 years, Patricia “Lyn”, and his children, Rolfe, Jeff and Andrea, by his four grandchildren, Evan, Brett, Luke and Regan, by his brother, Kim Fene, and his children Sandra, Mark and Deanna.
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Dick grew up on Mount Washington, overlooking Pittsburgh. When Dick was in eighth grade, Dick’s father, a geologist, was appointed the Assistant Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and his family moved to the Washington D.C. area. Dick attended high school in Silver Spring, Maryland where he was a proud alumnus of Montgomery Blair High School.
Dick earned his Bachelors Degree, played offensive line and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Cornell University. He earned his Masters Degree from the University of Vermont, and was “all but dissertation” on his doctoral work in Political Science at George Washington University, all while pursuing a distinguished career in the Army. Dick retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 24 years of service, including tours in Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. One of his more memorable anecdotes involved participating in a nuclear test in a bunker in the New Mexico desert with Sam Donaldson, which Sam later recounted in his book.
After leaving the military, Dick served as an Adjunct Professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma, teaching classes ranging from Business to Aviation, where he always stayed at least one chapter ahead of the students in whatever textbook was being used that semester. He later supervised the McAlester office for the Oklahoma Department of Mines and volunteered as a Mediator for Bryan County Family Court.
Dick’s lifelong avocations and passions were hunting and fishing. He started young and was still skilled in his later years, and made those who accompanied him better in the process. He never told an outdoorsman’s story that didn’t seem like it could be at least partially true, and never met a bird dog he didn’t like.
As a combat veteran, Dick has asked that his ashes be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. The family will be accepting visitors at the home at 208 Shadow Wood Lane in Durant from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm on Friday, July 27.
Memorial donations in memory of Dick can be made to Ducks Unlimited U.S.A.
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