VERN FLOYD FICHTER of Richland, passed away at the Chaplaincy Hospice House in Kennewick on June 4, 2018. He was 94.

Vern was born in Shenandoah, Iowa on May 3, 1924 to George Alvin Fichter and Esther Maranville.  He was the fourth of six children. After being orphaned at age 13, Vern lived at home with his brother Ivan and sister-in-law Harriet until he graduated from Farragut high school in 1941. After High school, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, enlisted in the US Army, and shortly thereafter was transferred to the Signal Corps. While in the Army, he attended the Nebraska State Trade school, taking radio and electronics classes that would help him throughout the remainder of his career.

After an honorable discharge from the Army Signal Corps, Vern worked various jobs in radio technology and aircraft manufacturing. A new job as an Instrument Trainee at General Electric in the Hanford Area brought him to Richland and reunited him with Ivan & Harriet, and his future bride (and Harriet’s younger sister) Marian, who he had met first when she was 8 years old. In life, Marian recounted that she ‘always knew that he was the man she would marry,’ even from that first meeting at a young age.

Vern and Marian were happily wedded on June 1, 1951 at Northwest United Protestant Church and were the first couple to be married in the ‘new’ building between Wright and Sacramento. They then received their house on Wright, where they would live for the rest of their lives, as soon as the wedding took place, eventually paying a grand total of $8,000 for the three-bedroom Ranch (Y) house. In 1964, after a few years of wedded bliss, they adopted their daughter Barbara, and shortly thereafter in 1957 adopted their youngest, Roger.

In 1958, Vern was promoted to Instrument Specialist at General Electric and held that position when Battelle Northwest came to the area. He held this position until his retirement in 1989. While he was working for Battelle, Vern created a Loan Pool of surplussed equipment that had been repaired rather than thrown away, thereby saving Battelle literally millions of dollars over the years of Vern’s employment. 

Vern was a very active Freemason, joining the order as a member of Richland Lodge No.283 in 1953 and continuing his support of the lodge until his death, serving over 60 years as a member. He served as Master of Richland Lodge in 1960, Deputy to the Grand Master, Grand Historian, and started a Junior Achievement Awards program awarding scholarships to outstanding local High School Juniors. He also acquired and curated a large collection of books and materials for the Richland Masonic Lodge Library, creating a useful and invaluable resource for research in the craft. He joined the Shriners in 1964 and, to quote his son Roger, “was never prouder than when he was in his white uniform carrying a flag in parades.” Vern was also active in the York and Scottish Rites, even attaining the venerable 33^rd degree in the Scottish Rite, an honor held by few. 

The 1980s brought a lot of changes for Vern and his family. The early part of the 80’s brought the births of his three Grandchildren, Nicholas (Roger), and Krystal and Bethany (Barbara). At the end of the decade, change came in the form of retirement from Battelle after nearly 40 years. Vern happily spent his retirement in the 90’s golfing, visiting friends and family both local and in Iowa, attending to Lodge duties, maintaining the Fichter home and garden, and most importantly, spending time with his children and grandchildren. 

Vern was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and Esther, His siblings Everett, Ivan, Gerald, Velda, and Keith, and his wife Marian. He is survived by his children Barbara and Roger, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.

A memorial service and light supper will be held at Northwest United Protestant church on Friday, June 22, 2018 at 5pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice House, or the Memorial fund at Northwest United Protestant Church.