Richard Lee Fleming

Richard Lee Fleming, 80, of Saint Simons Island, lost his courageous battle with Parkinson’s on April 22, 2023, at Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick. His family and friends were by his side.

Rich was born on October 22, 1942, to Leon and Lillian Genovesi Fleming in East Chicago, Indiana. After graduation from Morton High School, Hammond, Indiana, Rich enrolled in the School of Pharmacy at Purdue University, graduating in 1966. It was at Purdue that Rich met his wife of 56 years, Karen Jenkel. They were wed on November 19, 1966.

Rich began a career in retail Pharmacy, but Uncle Sam had a better idea, and he was drafted in June 1967 and served as a pharmacist at Womack Army Hospital, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Following an honorable discharge, Rich resumed his career with Walgreen and then Ribordy Drugs in Northwest Indiana. However, a decade later he joined the then fast-growing generic drug manufacturing industry. He was recruited to Barr Pharmaceuticals when it was a fledgling company and helped develop it until it was an international corporation when he retired in 2008.

He loved people and learning and was always interested in the person he was engaging with. Rich enjoyed music, both singing and playing guitar and ukelele. His many friends will recall evenings around a fire as he took requests, but usually ended up playing his version of Sinatra’s “My Way.”

Rich was a high handicap golfer but enjoyed the game. He used to quip that he had played the worse golf on the best courses in the world. He was an avid fan of Purdue University, and especially enjoyed watching Boilermaker football and basketball games.

Boating and hosting his family and friends were a favorite way for him to relax. There were many wonderful times on “Beautiful Lake Louise,” when he would take family and friends tubing, fishing, or just floating around. These wonderful times always ended in a cookout with him hosting at the grill.

Besides his wife, his son and grandsons were the loves of his life. Each had a very special place in his heart, and he in theirs. He was a good and loving husband, father, and grandfather.

Rich is predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Karen of Saint Simons Island, son Michael (Carolyn) Fleming and grandsons Hunter, Ethan, Brayden and Austin Fleming of West Lafayette, Indiana, and his sister, Linda (Norm) Lemieux of Scottsdale, Arizona.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Parkinson’s Association.

A visitation will be held at Edo Miller funeral home from 4:30 to 6:00 on Friday, April 28. Services will be at Christ Church Frederica on Saturday, April 29, at 1:00 p.m.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.edomillerandsons.com for the Fleming family.