Obituary of Chester "Chet" Fisken

Chester “Chet” Fisken, 83, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 29, 2016, at Arden Courts Memory Care Facility in Naples, Florida, from complications of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. A native Bostonian, Chet was born on December 27, 1932 to Harry and Ruth Fisken, the second of four sons. He resided in the Boston area for all but the last two years of his life. He graduated from Boston English High School in 1949. While working to help support his family, Chet attended Suffolk University nights, and was the first graduate to receive a Masters degree in Business Administration from Suffolk’s evening program. Chet went on to serve in the U.S. Army in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After returning to civilian life, he joined Pullman Vacuum Co., a division of Purex Corporation, in Malden, Massachusetts as office manager, where he spent the next 17 years. He later worked for the United States Department of Agriculture as a field auditor of state disbursements of food stamp funds, covering the six New England states and the State of New York. In that capacity, Chet received many letters of commendation lauding his success in saving the federal government and the taxpayers millions of dollars. Chet retired from the government in the early 1990s, but that did not slow him down. Always the first one on the dance floor, Chet took up dancing as a serious hobby, becoming accomplished in square dancing, line dancing, and ballroom dancing. (He also never forgot his rock and roll roots!) Chet was a familiar figure at many local square dance clubs and senior centers in and around the Stoneham area. In fact, he often attended as many as four dances a week, where he was inclined to bribe the band or DJ with chocolates to play his favorite songs. Known by various affectionate nicknames – the Peacock and the Coupon King are but two – Chet had an enormous heart. While he had an uncanny ability to stretch a coupon to the point where the product was free, it was always with someone else in mind. He always had gifts for everyone he knew – and the trunk of his car was like Mary Poppins’ carpetbag, filled with all kinds of treasure if you ever needed anything. Chet is remembered as a wonderful friend and dedicated son and brother. Following his father’s death in 1977, Chet became the primary caregiver to his mother for the rest of her life. Although he never married, Chet was a ladies man, and a wonderful beau to those women who shared a part of his life. He disarmed the other half with his winning smile and kindness, just as he did his colleagues, friends, and family. He will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. Chet was predeceased by his brother Hyman, his sisters-in-law Catherine and Florence, and his parents. He is survived by his brother Sidney of Nashua, New Hampshire and Naples, Florida, and Bernard (Kate) of Bethesda, Maryland, and numerous nieces and nephews. A service will be held at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St, Peabody, Massachusetts on Thursday February 4, 2016 at 11 am. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 10 am to 11 am and burial will be at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Support Network, Inc., 660 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 21, Naples Florida 34102 and AVOW, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, 34105.