Franklin Gregory Fisk

Franklin Gregory Fisk of Portage, Michigan died December 28, 2011 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Greg Fisk is survived by his wife Kay (Moots) Fisk; his daughter Karla Fisk and her husband Philip T. Simpson of Manhattan, NYC; his son Kevin Fisk and his wife Patrisa Aidan and grandson Aeolian Aidan of Kalamazoo; and his daughter Kirsten Fisk and her husband Douglas Monson of Holt, Michigan. Greg is also survived by; his sister Julie Fisk Jolliffe, her husband Richard, and their family of San Diego, California; and his brother Thomas Templeton Fisk and his wife Dell and their family, also of San Diego, California. A memorial service to be held at First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo will be scheduled later. Greg was born in Newton, Kansas on June 27, 1931, and grew up in El Dorado, Kansas. He received a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Kansas (K.U.), then volunteered to be drafted into the US Army during the Korean war. Greg served at Ft. Riley, Kansas where, as personal chef to the General, began his love of cooking fine international cuisine. Following his discharge from the Army, Greg earned a masters degree from K.U., and then taught high school science in Kirksville, Missouri. It was while Greg was in Kirksville that he met his bride, Kay Moots. Greg returned to K.U. where he earned a Ph.D., and he and Kay began their family. Greg was an enthusiastic lifelong teacher. He taught in the field of both education and science at North East Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University), Penn State University, and Western Michigan University, from which he retired in 1998. As a university professor, Greg also wrote a science textbook that was used by high schools nationwide. Greg was an active member of First Baptist Church in Kalamazoo. He combined his dedication to First Baptist with his deep love of music, and was instrumental in raising money for First Baptist's Létourneau Opus 55 organ and Fazioli concert grand piano. Greg was passionate about contemporary classical music and regularly traveled with Kay to performances both locally and at the Tanglewood Festival. Along the way he collected a substantial collection of contemporary classical music recordings. Greg also traveled extensively in central Europe and taught scientific English to Hungarian doctors at the Hungarian Technical University. In keeping with Greg's love of music, his family asks that, instead of flowers, contributions be made to the Greg Fisk Music Fund. Tax deductible contributions in the name of the Greg Fisk Music Fund can be mailed to his daughter, Kirsten Fisk, 2917 College Rd, Holt, MI 48842.