Richard Mathes Fenker

Narrative:

     Richard Mathes Fenker was born on 8 Oct 1910 in 264 Hosea Ave., Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.^4,8,9
     He moved about 1919 to Minneola, Florida, with his parents.^15,16 He appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Clermont, Lake Co., Florida, in the household of his parents, Howard Wieman Fenker and Irma Aurelia Sander.⁵
     Richard moved to Nashville, Tennessee, with his parents about 1924.¹⁶ He graduated from Peabody Demonstration School, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1928.^17,18
     He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, in the household of his parents.⁶
     He graduated from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1934, with a Bacholer of Arts degree in mathematics. He had attended the University of North Carolina from 1928 until 1932, and then one year at Vanderbilt.¹⁹
     He was a clerk a the Tennessee Emergency Relief Administration. By 1937 he was a salesman at Nunn Schwab & Co., an investment securites firm by 1935.²⁰
     Richard married Martha Watson Cobb, daughter of Dr. Robert Linah Cobb Jr. and Mary Louisa Logan, on 12 Aug 1938 in Nashville, Tennessee, in the presence of the immediate families and a few intimate friends. The ceremony was performed by the bride's uncle, Rev. William Henry McIntosh, of Hatiesburg, Mississippi.^10,11,12

Becoming an Actuary --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He was employed by Life & Casualty Insurance Company as a clerk by 1939. He was an actuary there when he joined the Navy in 1943. In 1940 he reported he had worked 44 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the prior year, earning $1,300.^21,17,22
     Richard and Martha appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, at 2405 21st Ave. South, enumerated 6 Apr 1940, reporting that they were renting their home, for $35 per month, and each had lived in the same city in 1935.²³
     Richard registered for the draft for World War II on 16 Oct 1940, while living at 2405 21st Ave. South, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, reporting he was employed by National Life and Accident Insurance Company.³

A Naval Navigtor --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Richard enlisted in the Naval Reserve, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade 15 Jan 1943.²⁵ He began active duty 2 Aug 1943 and entered the Navy Air Navigation School in Hollywood, Florida, a 16-week program. From Jun 1943 until Dec of that year he was an instructor at that school. During this time he was flying in Beechcraft SNB trainers. He was promoted to lieutenant 1 May 1944.^26,19
     Martha joined him for at least part of his tour of duty in Hollywood. In Sep 1943 they were living there at 701 No. Ocean Dr.²⁷
     From Dec 1943 to Nov 1944 he was assigned to the Naval Air Transport Service's Atlantic Wing, squadron VR-8, which provided seaplane service. While there he flew in Martin PBM-3R Mariner seaplanes, recording some 500 flying hours flying to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and South America.^29,30
     He was transferred to the VR-11 squadran in Nov 1944, based at Naval Air Station Oakland in California, now Oakland International Airport. In the Pacific he flew in Douglas R5D Skymasters, the Navy transport version of the Douglas DC-4 airliner, logging some 1,500 hours.^31,32
     Martha joined him for at least part of his tour at Oakland Naval Air Station. He drove the family across the country from Nashville in the fall of 1944 to a house he had rented in Berkeley, California.^33,34
     A wounded evacuation squadron, VRE-1, was formed in Mar 1945, based in Guam, and he became a part of that squadron.His last duties were flying casualties out of Okinawa and POWs from Japan. He served with VRE-1 until Sep 1945.^31,32,35
     He remained in the Naval Reserve after he left active service. He was promoted to Lt. Commander 1 Aug 1946. He was placed on inactive status 1 Jul 1952.^36,37

Returning to Civilian Life --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     After the war he was loaned by National Life to American Life Convention, a trade association of life insurance companies with head office in Chicago.¹⁷
     He became Actuary for the Department of Insurance and Banking for the state of Tennessee in Feb 1947.³⁸
     He became Actuary for the Insurance Department of Mississippi in Nov 1947. He and Martha moved their family to 4444 Newton Dr., Jackson, Mississippi.³⁹
     In Feb 1950 became actuary for Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company of Columbia South Carolina. He and Martha moved their family to an apartment at 23A-A3 Myron Manor, Columbia, South Carolina. He reported in the 1950 census he had worked 45 hours the prior week.^40,41 While there they built a home on a wooded lot.⁴²
     Richard and Martha appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Richland Co., South Carolina, at Myren Maror Apartments, enumerated 6 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm. Their two children were listed as living with them.⁴³
     In 1951 Richard and Martha moved their family to Gallatin, Tennessee, so he could manage Rail Oil Company, a business established by his father. It was a distributor of Shell Oil Products in Macon, Sumner and Trousdale Counties. He eventually bought the entire business, which was sold in 1976 when he retired from active business.¹⁷
     He was elected to city council in Gallatin, Tennessee in 1969, and reelected in 1973 and 1977. While there, he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee from 1970 until the end of his term, and was appointed to the Power Board in 1970, later becoming its chairman. He was elected by the city council to one of Gallatin's memberships on the board of the Resource Authority (which built and operated a waste fired thermal plant), and reelected to a six year term 1981. In 1974 he was appointed to the planning commission.¹⁷
     Richard died on 2 Jun 1999 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., Texas, at age 88.¹³ He was buried in Gallatin City Cemetery, Gallatin, Tennessee.¹⁴