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Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Very sad news, indeed. Jack was a unique and unforgettable character who added many good memories to one's Navy days. People who knew him appreciated and understood his gruff persona, knowing inside he was a good a decent man.
Chris and I pass on our sympathies to Jack's family, may they find peace in the difficult times ahead. Thank you for your service to our country, Master Jack, you will be missed by many.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

I have been following the updates that you have provided John. I too am deeply saddened to learn of his passing. He was truly one of a kind. I will miss him and wish his family all the best at this very difficult time. Rest assured, he will be remembered and missed. RIP Master Jack.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Sad to hear the loss of another shipmate, R.I.P. Master Jack.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Our prayers are with his family. He was a good friend and great shipmate. We had some great time at Argentia and St Johns.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

One wintry night in 1975, OT1 Jack Fessler had the duty electronics watch in Arg, which basically meant taking occasional readings and bunking out unless an alarm went off to signify a problem. I was pretty green and had the CDO/OWO duty that night. Somewhere around 0300, the alarm bells rang out, and I went trotting back to the equipment room as trained. What greeted me in front of a bank of equipment made me come to a screeching halt, and my eyes opened wide with disbelief. There stood Jack in his tighty-whitey jockey shorts and undershirt, scratching his bottom and regarding me with that one lazy eye that liked to swing around. The spectacle was so comical that after the initial shock, I burst out laughing and couldn’t stop. Jack was disappointed because, you see, he had set off the alarm to have a little fun with the ensign. After a time, he started grinning, and an enduring friendship was born in that moment when two irreverent souls bonded. I am sure that Jack has found some similarly irreverent shipmates on the other side and that they are partying hearty. I hope he will be among those who greet me when my time comes to cross over.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Mary Ann,
I was going to post that same story but was afraid you might be offended. As you probably recall, I was the watch coordinator at the time. That was typical Jack. He and I had a great friendship throughout our careers and different duty stations. There is no doubt that he has already reconnected with many old shipmates and is up to something. May he RIP until we meet again.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

It is always sad to see postings of our friends and shipmates passing. I guess the one good thing about it is that we have this site to share our thoughts with the surviving families. We "all" want them to know that they are not alone and that our thoughts and prayers are with them. May Jack rest in peace. Ed Smock

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

It is great to share this memory with you, John. Thanks for the feedback.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

While from previous posts I knew this was coming, it is still difficult to read. From the "better to laugh" side, I still smile when remembering the blue eyed baby elephant. Jack's wife at the time, Bierget (sic), came out to Bermuda for Christmas and New Years. They woke me up to have a drink or two, and several drinks later, I got to see lots of tattoos! Godspeed, Jack.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Joan and I are both sadden to hear of Jack's passing. He was one of a kind and a great John's runner who will be sadly missed. Along with the others -- Rest in Peace Master Jack

FROG

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Our sincere condolences to Sue and family on Jack's passing. All the aches and pain are gone, and our wish is that you be resting in peace.

Rick and Joan Matthews

Obituary - John A. "Master Jack" Fessler

Rest in Peace, Master Chief.

John A. "Master Jack" Fessler, 65, of Milford, DE formerly of Plainfield, NJ passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at the Milford Center Genesis Healthcare. Jack was born May 19, 1950 in Staten Island, NY the son of the late John Andrew and Margaret Mary (Wilson) Fessler. He was raised in New Jersey and graduated from Plainfield High School in 1968. He enlisted in the United States Navy on August 25, 1969, serving during the Vietnam War. His performance earned him two Navy Commendation medals, two Navy Achievement medals, five Good Conduct medals, and several other medals, awards and letters of achievement, before retiring from active duty as a Master Chief Petty Officer in December 1991. Upon retirement, Jack attended vocational training for residential and commercial carpentry and building maintenance and held several positions demonstrating his skills. Jack enjoyed working at the Milford Shipyard, where he contributed significantly on the restoration of two Vinyard yachts and several other antique boats. Jack also enjoyed working on his hot rods and was an avid NASCAR fan. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Dr. Robert James Fessler.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years Cosby Sue Fessler; his son Rod Fessler; his granddaughter Marissa Lynn Fessler; his sister Margaret A. "Peggy" Franks and her husband Stephen; his step-sister Mary Ann Bausch; his step-brother John Ronchick as well as several nieces and nephews.

Military Honors at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro will be announced at a later date. Arr. by Lofland Funeral Home, Milford, DE.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

John,
We were just waiting for the news, when he decided about something it was so. We will always remember the antics at your house in Bermuda, they are etched in my mind and will never leave! The Elephant eyes was by far too funny.
Sue and family, Linda and send our condolences may the "Master Jack" RIP.
Chuck & Linda Cable

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Sue and Family please accept Ellen's and my sincere condolences. I'm having a hard time getting my head around Jack being gone. I really thought the big teddy bear had one more fight left in him. Its an honor to have considered him one of my best friends. Only single barrel bourbon to your memory "Master Jack"

Terry and Ellen Clower

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

I was a Day-Puke at Lewes and shared an office with Jack (Mr Sensitivity). One of the things I noticed about him was he never played favorites...he was a jerkoff to most everyone.

Jack particularly enjoyed spinning up this kid from the watch floor. Invariably, every time this kid had the day, he'd slide back to the Research Office to mess with Jack.

So...it's about that time and the kid appears at the doorway and says something not quite disrespectful to Jack. Jack immediately fires back with a particularly hateful insult and the kid loses his mind. He runs across the room and launches himself over the front of Jack's haze gray Navy desk. Jack catches him in mid-aid and administers a body slam....the likes of which you see on WWE....only this one was real.

I was afraid the kid was dead but ultimately he started breathing again. Jack was kind enough to help him up and out of the office. I peed my highly starched and impeccably creased (inside out)Seafarers.

RIP old friend. You went too soon.

Our other two office mates were Dave Canady and Tom LaPrade. I'm the only one left now. I'll be on the lookout for buzzards from here on out.

Nick

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Nick, your great post proves that laughter is the best medicine! That captured Jack perfectly and provided smiles during a sad time.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Nick - That is the FUNNIEST story. I called Amy Doggett, who is not online (!) and read it to her. We laughed and laughed. Jack was Amy's command master chief when she was OIC at the lab in Bermuda. After hearing your story, she remarked that Jack would absolutely love it that people are honoring him by sharing stories about him -- the more outrageous, the better. She also added that despite being gruff and tough, he took exceedingly good care of those in his charge and shepherded them carefully to good professional growth. Amy sends her regards to all Fessler fans out there.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Ha! Nick, you certainly know how to tell a story with exactly the right tone and timing. I never had the pleasure of meeting Master Jack in person but did correspond with him via email in recent years. Seemed like a nice fellow.

And OBTW, I'm updating my advance funeral arrangements to include a note that "Nick McConnell deliver the eulogy".

- Jim

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

James....while I'm incredibly honored to be asked, I'll only agree if we do it in 25 years...minimum. By then, I'll have forgotten most all of the bad stuff I know about you that I've dutifully collected over the last 4-plus decades.

On the other hand, I have another Jack Fessler anecdote which is classically illustrative of his innate ability (even with a T/E turbine eye....thanks Mary Ann) to just see how far he could push people before they reacted.

To wit....our office mate and good pal Dave Canady was no slouch in the big-boned, cranky, WTF am I doing in this do nothing NavFac, I'll never make Chief at this rate, disgruntled OT1 department. Suffice it to say that Jack truly delighted in getting under Dave's skin. See how I'm being gentle there?

One of Canady's prized possessions (other than his sticks....which he, I and Dave Mills made great use of) was a very old, faded, piece of crap working uniform ballcap (cover for you sticklers....Cal Prescott...I owe you) that we accused him of stealing from a current IUSSCAA member who shall remain nameless...except his initials are Bob Masciangioli. He coveted this raggedy thing beyond anything rational. We joked about it behind his back. Notice I said behind.

Some of you already know where this is going and it can't end well. Well, it doesn't.

Apparently, whilst none of us were watching, Jack stole Dave's cover from his desk while he was out of the office. When Dave returned Jack grunts or something...Canady turns around and looks at him...Jack pulls the ballcap out from under his desk...holds it up....and me and Tom LaPrade are doing that "NO" thing in slo-mo....as Jack rips off the bill and throws both pieces in the ****can.

Says something like "You're outta uniform" and goes back to his work.

LaPrade and I tackle Canady on his way to the same fate that befell that kid from the daywatch yesterday. My good pal Dave was just purple and wanted a piece of Jack so badly. Some of you will remember that Tom wasn't much help...I'da been better off getting an Ensign from the watchfloor....but time didn't permit.

We finally convince Canady not to kill Jack if we let him go. We walk him to the T-Bldg gate and send him home....out of uniform.

Throughout this entire ordeal, which lasted 5 minutes or more, Jack never looked up from his PMS schedule...a real professional to the end.

I was only lucky enough to serve with Jack the one time and the next time I saw him (still in S/P), he had a pony-tail down to the middle of his back and I called him a old, fat girl. We both laughed alot.

It seems that every day I find out that another of my friends has passed...imagine what the greatest generation must feel like...weigh in Smokey...and I'm just sick and tired of crying. I'm going to find some reason to laugh and remember all the great times we all had with each other.

Peace



Re: Loss of another great shipmate

OK Nick, I’ll jump in!

As for this gray haired old timer there are actually two sides of my feelings that I would like to share at this time.

First, the good feeling:
As of this past week (on 22 March) I started my sixty-second (62) year (1954) of working with the U.S. Navy and our beloved SOSUS/IUSS organization. I have truly been blessed in this way as retirement is not yet on my horizon.

I have often said that “The Good Lord has blessed all of you with many fine SOSUS and IUSS memories.” However, - “The Good Lord has blessed me more”.

The “blessed me more part” is that I have met so many fine people over the past 61 years (more than I dare try to list here) and I have countless memories.

Now the sad feeling:
The sad feeling comes with hearing the news of so many of our shipmates passing. I get a very sobering and humble feeling when I review the Memoriam section of this site. There are only a few names that I do not recognize or remember.

God Bless all of them and may they rest in peace. – Until we serve together again.

Ed Smock

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Allow me to add my condolences to Jack's family and friends. He'll be missed.

I'd also like to add another "Jack story" to the remembrances.

During one long and dreary OWO mid-watch at Lewes, between sessions of swatting away the biting sand flies, Jack, who was watch supervisor comes up to the desk and asks me for change so he can get a coke out of the vending machine. I replied, "I have no change." He said he heard some jingling in my pocket. I told him they were my keys. He then calmly strolls over to the Watch Officer's desk, grabs me by the waist (28 inches at the time . . . if only now!) and turns me upside down grasping me by my ankles, whereupon all my change tumbles out on to the floor -- more than enough for a coke. He then turns me upright and picks through the coins he needs for the coke and in the most deadpan voice, says, "You should never lie to me Ensign Madsen." He picked up and handed me the change he didn't need.

As I was leaving Lewes for Barbados in 1977, Jack hands me a present -- an entire Jolly Log with all the pages completely filled that he'd been saving for that occasion. Jack was a guy of many surprises. Aside from a few reunions, I saw Jack at the Navfac plaque dedication ceremony at the old Lewes Admin Building. He had restored an old Jeep as an exact replica (aside from the US Govt plates) of the old Navfac Lewes Jeep, complete with NFLD painted in black over Navy grey paint.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

Nick and All,
The more I read the more I remember or try to forget. Many from my last tour in Bermuda 83-86, may recall the first Organized CPO Dress Blue Liberty. As the evening war on I recall Jack mucking it up with a bunch of older tourists at maybe Henry the VIII,s?? I was so afraid he was going to show them the "Elephant,s Eyes", then lead them astray. We did leave there with everyone aboard the bus, thank God.
Chuck

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

I did not have the pleasure of knowing Jack Fessler personally. I certainly knew of his reputation and from the stories I've read on this site, he obviously lived up to that reputation. I'm guessing that he would have deserved the coveted Widenor moniker of being "a pretty good OT".

So Pat and I would like to add our sincere condolences to the Fessler family in the loss of their loved one and ask that they take comfort in knowing, from the above posts, that "Master Jack" was also loved far and wide.

John and Pat Ellis

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

I didn't know Jack. Our paths never crossed. But from the posts in this string, and the people who have so eloquently authored them, it is clear that Jack was integral to our past success, and our legacy as well. It never ceases to amaze me - the love and camaraderie that we continue to share after so many years. What started out as a journey behind the green doors so many years ago, has become so much more than anyone could ever have imagined.

Take pleasure in who we are and what we have done. But our greatest pleasure will continue to come from how we savor those precious memories from the past, and the high regard we continue to have for past shipmates.

RIP Jack - you touched our community in many meaningful ways. The testimonies and thoughtful words in this string are clear evidence of that.

Re: Loss of another great shipmate

I, like John and George, never personally met or served with "Master Jack". However, from the testimonials put forth in the many posts and the reputation he so deservedly earned, it is evident that I missed someone who stood tall and proud among his shipmates.

Myself and Linda wish to add our sincere condolences and prayers for the Fessler family and that they will find some measure of comfort in knowing that he will be missed by the entire IUSS family, as well.

Irv and Linda DeMatties

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