Longtime Rockville Centre resident of 54 years, Margaret M. Wallace died at age 92 on April 9. She passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her loving family.
Peg was born on Nov. 2, 1915 in Valley Stream, the second of eight children born to Margaret and Daniel Bergen. She met and married her high school sweetheart Kenneth John Wallace. Peg and Ken eventually settled in Rockville Centre on Brower Avenue in 1954, where they raised their seven children.
Peg was a positive and loving woman who put the priorities of her family and friends above all else. She embodied all the attributes of a wonderful mother, providing love, support, guidance and compassion to everyone in her life. Peg was both a grandmother and great grandmother, endearingly known as "Nanny."
Nan was always there with a big hug and kiss, and always enthusiastic about making french toast, grilled cheese or
her renowned deviled eggs and swedish meatballs. Amazingly she never missed any of the many birthdays or Valentine's Days, always sending a card signed "Guess Who?".
Until recently, it was common to see Peg attending Mass everyday, chatting with neighbors and friends at Associated or at her weekly get togethers with friends at Dunkin Donuts.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband Kenneth, and six of her seven siblings, Mary, Loretta, Joe, Ruth, Tom and Terry. Peg is survived by her seven loving children and their spouses, Peg O'Brien and husband Joe; Kenneth John Wallace Jr. and wife Susie; Rene Lewit and husband Bob; Karen Francis and husband Pat; Kathy Kennedy and husband Walter; William Wallace and wife Gayle; and John Wallace and wife Emily. She cherished her 21 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren, her dear sister Jack Davey and husband Ed Davey, and her extended family of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Peg's family knew she had touched the lives of many, but were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from the 500 hundred people that attended her funeral Mass. She will continue to be a role model to her family and friends by inspiring us to live each day fully, love deeply and laugh a lot!
John J. (Jack) Fischer
Fighter Pilot and former Prisoner of War
Jack Fischer succumbed to complications of cancer at his home in Rockville Centre on April 20. He was 94 years old.
While escorting bombers in his P-47 Thunderbolt, he was wounded and shot down near Frankfurt in early 1944. Bailing out of his burning, spinning plane, he spent 15 months in Stalag Luft 1 where he used his legal training to defend fellow POW's brought up on spurious charges by the Nazis.
Liberated by the Russians, he "borrowed" a plane, flew to Belgium, and asked Eleanor Donohue, a Red Cross social worker, to marry him. He toured the U.S. to demonstrate the ingenuity of newly-discharged, largely unemployed former POW and even played a violin made of bed slats on Arthur Godfrey's radio show.
Decorated for valor, Jack went on to fly reconnaissance missions during the Korean conflict and to found an orphanage with a Catholic priest. He had assignments at the Pentagon and in Paris, France, where he directed plans and policy at NATO's predecessor, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). He retired with the rank of Colonel in 1961.
Colonel Fischer was awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal for his service in World War II. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in Korea, as well as the Bronze Star Medal and two Air Medals.
Born in the Bronx in 1914, Jack was the son of William Francis and Katherine (Towey) Fischer. He was educated at St. Athanasius School (1927), Fordham Prep (1932), College (1935), and Law School (1939). He also graduated from the National War College (1957). In 1961 he joined Fischer Brothers, a workmen's compensation law firm in NYC and retired for a second time in 1984. He was a long-time volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the first Eucharistic minister at St. Agnes Cathedral. He rallied his friends, neighbors, and his physician son and son-in-law to collect medicines and he and his wife transported seven medicine-filled suitcases to the Dominican Republic in 1987.
As far back as anyone can remember, Jack Fischer loved to sing. He had a gift for harmony, infectious spontaneity, and robust enthusiasm. He was a founding member of the Resurrection Choir of St. Agnes Cathedral and sang at funeral Masses for over 20 years. A life-long birdwatcher and member of the Audubon Society, Jack enchanted audiences, particularly young ones, with his expert birdcalls and "conversations" with birds. He was active with the P-47 Thunderbolt Association, the Long Island Ex- Prisoners of War, 41-G, his pilot training group, and the Military Officers Club of Long Island (MOCLI).
Happily married for over 60 years and deeply in love with his wife Eleanor who died in 2006, he was known to say, "The closest thing to sainthood is motherhood."
He is survived by his children Eleanor Quigley (Bob) of Alexandria, Va.; Kathryn Davis (Sanders, MD) and John, Jr., of Mendham, N.J.; William, PhD, (Maureen) of Framingham, Ma; Thomas, PhD, (Susan, PhD) of Briarcliff Manor; and Mary (Anni Campbell) of NYC. He also left behind 15 grandchildren, his sisters Helen of Brooklyn, and Claire Adiletta of Thompson, Ct., and numerous nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his sons, Francis, in 1959 and Joseph, MD, in 2002, his sisters, Mary Bell, Katherine Moseley Davis, Joan Popylisen, and Patricia Weber, and his brother, William.
