Robert John Fey

Robert John Fey, age 88, of Roseburg, Oregon, passed away Oct. 28, 2024. He was born Sept. 11, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, to William and Dorothy (Richards) Fey. Robert dedicated his life to education and service, both as a veteran of the United States Air Force (1954 — 1958) and as a beloved high school math teacher and swim coach.

Following his military service, Bob pursued a career in education, impacting countless lives for over 30 years. He began his teaching career in Babylon, New York, and later moved to Frankfurt, Germany, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Stevenson, Washington, before dedicating 25 years to Roseburg High School. There he met Miss Carol Willing, the young art teacher. The “high school” sweethearts were married in Eugene, Oregon on Aug. 14, 1977. They had two children, Kathryn and Christopher. They loved to travel and explore the world with their family.

Known for his optimistic and kind nature, Bob was not only a mentor in the classroom but also in life, embodying the traits of a life-long learner and a thoughtful friend. He never met a stranger and loved being called Dad, Pop, Unk, Coach and Mr. Fey by so many. Bob fought many health battles over the years, yet he never let anything bring him down. He loved to joke and laugh; he celebrated life every day!

Bob graduated from St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, New York, on a swimming scholarship and furthered his education at Hofstra University, the University of Oklahoma and State University of New York at Albany. He received an NSF grant to obtain a second Master’s degree at Rutgers. His passion for learning was paralleled by his diverse interests, including swimming, woodworking, rafting, traveling, reading, storytelling and shopping. He loved to build furniture and do handyman work for his loved ones; he was the ultimate DIY guy. He was often heard working in the garage on early Saturday mornings with the sound of the radial arm saw.

He was a devout member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Roseburg, where services will be held Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Rosary will be at 11:30 a.m. with Funeral Mass to follow at 12:10 p.m. Honor Guard and burial services will be at the Roseburg VA cemetery at 2 p.m.

Robert is survived by his loving wife Carol Fey; daughter Kate (Nick) Mattox; son Chris (April) Fey; grandson Gabriel Robert Mattox; brother William (Gerri) Fey; sister-in-law Lorraine Fey; the Willing family; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Thomas Fey.

Our appreciation goes to Mercy Hospice who cared for him for the last 16 months.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Roseburg High School Foundation, P.O. Box 2084 Roseburg, Oregon, 97470 to establish a scholarship in Robert’s name.