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Overcast and Breezy Longtime East Rockaway resident Carole (Fuchs) Fahey dies at 78
Longtime East Rockaway resident Carole Anne (Fuchs) Fahey died on Jan. 27 at Novant Health Hospital in Huntersville, N.C., surrounded by her family. She was 78.
Fahey was born to William Fuchs and Florence May (Hughes) Fuchs on Dec. 16, 1943, at Jamaica Hospital in Queens. Her family eventually moved to Long Island, settling in East Rockaway in 1956. She graduated from East Rockaway High School in 1960 and then earned a degree in math from Queens College. While tackling motherly duties, she also earned a master’s degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1983.
Though she was the quiet, strong and silent type, Fahey’s kindness and generosity of spirit and deeds spoke for her, even when her words were soft-spoken. She met her future husband, Edward, in Mineola, and they got married on April 30, 1966. Ed had previously joined the U.S. Navy, and the couple transferred to various ports of call, including Vigrinia, Florida and the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton, Conn. They shared a love of travelling the world, boating, friends and family up until Ed’s death in 2002.
Fahey was chided as a “smarty pants” and “goody two-shoes” by her sister, which proved to be right on the money as she took up a career at Republic Aviation and NASA, where she worked on the Apollo mission. She also co-authored two books on computer programming. She took time off from her career to raise her children, Maureen and Ed, who were grateful because, as a Navy wife, Fahey took on the roles of mom and dad while Ed was out to sea.
As her children got older, she jumped back into the workforce, landing a job with Electric Boat in Connecticut as a computer programmer. She and Ed’s travels later took them to Illinois, where she worked as a statistical engineer for a pharmaceutical company. Upon retiring Fahey moved to Fort Pierce, Fla., where her parents, William and Florence, called home from the early 1980s to 2012. She lovingly helped care for both of her parents until they died.
In addition to being a devoted caregiver, she also volunteered at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation in Vero Beach, Fla, researching clams and mussels, and taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos Islands to further explore her passion for all things oceanic. During her retirement, Fahey enjoyed traveling with her family and Carla, volunteering, walking to the jetty every morning with Julie and Donna, serving as the commodore of the Fort Pierce Yacht Club, being an active member of MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) and being the best cat mom to her cats, Frick and Frack. She did all this while serving as a loving caregiver to her parents, who died in 2009 and 2012.
Fahey is survived by her children, Maureen Fahey (Robert Dietz), of Middle Haddam, Conn., Edward Fahey (Laresa), of Mooresville, NC; his sister, Sharyn (Fuchs) Krudis (Joseph); brother William Fuchs (Karen), of Merrick.; granddaughters Kelsey (Davis) Hollis and Lindsay Fahey; and step grandchildren Elizabeth and Rachel Dietz and Devin, Regan and Aiden Brown. Additionally, she leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews and special friends she held near to her heart.
Fahey’s wake is scheduled for Feb. 11 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Donza Funeral Home, 333 Atlantic Ave., in East Rockaway. Her funeral Mass is set for Feb. 12 at 10;30 a.m. at St. Raymond’s Church, 263 Atlantic Ave., in East Rockaway. In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, at alz.org, or Susan G. Komen for the Cure, at komen.org.
