COL Philip Fetler, U. S. Air Force, went to be with the Lord on February 26, 2013. He was born on January 15, 1923 near Berlin, Germany, and the seventh of a missionary’s 13 children. He was raised in Riga, Latvia; Amsterdam, Holland; Stockholm, Sweden and Switzerland. His family immigrated to America in 1939, where he attended Northwestern University. During WWII he was inducted into military service. In the next 31 years as pilot, he rose from Private to Colonel in the U. S. Air Force, serving as Staff Officer and Commander in the Strategic Air Command, with NATO in Europe and American Forces in Japan. Among his decorations are the Legion of Merit, and from the Emperor of Japan the Order of the Sacred Treasure.
He is survived by his wife Rosemarie, a son Gregory Fetler & wife Jean of Watsonville, CA, 3 grandchildren, Tabetha, Tiffany and Joshua; 4 great grandchildren; 10 brothers & sisters from Massachusetts to New York, Virginia, Florida, Texas Minnesota, Colorado and California.
His main interest was music and art, and he was a rated chess enthusiast, playing in local and national tournaments. He was also a member of Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Visitation will be 5-7p.m., Thursday, March 7, 2013 at Sunset Funeral Home. The Graveside Service will be 10:45 a.m., Friday, March 8, 2013 at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Gentiva Hospice Foundation (www.gentivahospicefoundation.org) and/or the National Kidney Foundation (www.kidney.org).
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