Everett Fessler

Everett John Fessler, 90, of Independence, MO passed away Wednesday, November 23, 2011. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 2, 2011 at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 3726 Lee’s Summit Rd., Independence, MO 64055. Visitation will follow at the church from 11-1:00 p.m. Graveside inurnment 1:30 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Everett was born on a farm in Wien, MO on October 23, 1921, the first of three children of Bernard and Theresa (Biegel) Fessler. He attended St. Mary of the Angels Catholic grade school in Wien, MO and Bucklin High School. In 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army’s Signal Corp. and was trained in a new top-secret technology called Radio Detecting and Ranging – RADAR. He spent the next two years installing and maintaining radar equipment from New Guinea up through the Philippines toward Japan. After the war, Everett moved to Kansas City and worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone. He was united in marriage to Rose Rita Knapp on April 12, 1947. The couple took up residence in Independence, MO. In September 1950, eleven months after the birth of their first child, Everett was called up from the Army Reserves and sent to Korea. There he served as an MP until discharged in May 1952. Over the next five years four additional children were born. Everett lived the rest of his life in Independence. Returning from Korea, Everett worked at the Standard Oil Refinery near Independence and then at the Ford plant in Kansas City before returning to the Bell System at the new Western Electric Plant in Lee’s Summit, MO. He retired from there in 1981. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, most of his spare time was spent fixing radios, TV’s, etc… for family and friends, never charging for his labor, parts only. Everett joined the American Legion Post in Independence after WWII, where President Truman was also a member. He served one term as Post Commander around 1958, and was an active member of the Legion and VFW the rest of his life. In the 1980’s Everett and Rita purchased a lot and constructed a house in Park Rapids, MN where they spent summers after they both retired. Everett is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Rita; children Denis Fessler, Kris Walker, Lynn Henry, John Fessler and Anna Dean; 11 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister Rosemary Thomas.