kyfanatic
05-05-2005, 09:55 PM
Never knew the man,but found his death notice interesting =
Kentucky deaths
Philip Fleek , 56, state road supervisor, avid sportsman
Philip Martin Fleek of Glencoe was an avid sportsman, family man and retired road supervisor with the state of Kentucky.
He died of a heart attack Monday in Jonesville doing what he loved - turkey hunting. He was 56.
The oldest of 10 children, Mr. Fleek was born and raised in Hebron, son of Arnold Y. Fleek who was affectionately known in Boone County as "The Veggie Man" because of his roadside vegetable stand in front of the family's home.
"They never had anything growing up," said Mr. Fleck's wife of 12 years, Jean Osborne Fleek. But he never complained and was grateful for what he had, she said.
After attending Boone County High School, Mr. Fleck worked as a carpet installer before joining the bridge crew with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Department of Highways, where we stayed for about 10 years.
He then became a road supervisor for the state, a position he held until about a year-and-a-half ago, when heart trouble forced him into disability.
Mrs. Fleck said her husband was a devoted grandfather and community member.
"All the community loved him," she said. "He made people feel like they were part of a family."
A member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Catch and Release Program, Mr. Fleek loved hunting. He killed his first turkey in 1996 and had many fanned-out turkey tail trophies, his wife said. He also enjoyed deer and duck hunting.
He was hunting Monday when he died.
"He went doing what he loved to do," said his brother, Ronald Fleek of Burlington. "He was an avid outdoorsman. What better way to go than out in the woods with Mother Nature and God. He went like he wanted to go."
Mr. Fleek's wife said her husband also loved NASCAR racing and would travel with co-workers to the Atlanta Speedway to watch a race each year.
Mrs. Fleek admitted his Sunday NASCAR watching bugged her at first, but soon he had made a fan out of her, too.
"You couldn't change the channel, and you couldn't even eat dinner during the race," she said. "At first when we got we married I hated that, but then you get into it yourself."
Mr. Fleek also had a reputation as a comedian and prankster, according to family members.
Ronald Fleek recalled one hunting trip where he was the victim of one of Mr. Fleek's jokes. Mr. Fleek smeared black shoe polish around the edges of his brother's binocular lenses, leaving black rings around Ronald's eyes when he peered through them.
"That was his character," said Ronald Fleek. "Even during difficult times, he was always trying to make people happy."
Stepdaughter Molly McComas of Jonesville, Ky., said she would never forget her stepfather's love and friendship.
"He didn't have to be a dad to me. He didn't have to be a friend. But he was," she said.
In addition to his wife, his stepdaughter and his brother Ronald, survivors include sons Marty Fleek of Erlanger and Eric Michael Fleek of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a daughter, Robin Ormes of Erlanger; sisters, Sandra L. Schulze of Burlington, Brenda Kay Jones of Williamstown, Darlene Williams of Hebron and Tina Fleek of Florence; brothers, Robert Fleek of Florence, Dale Fleek of Elsmere and Dennis Fleek of Hebron; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Petersburg Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice
Kentucky deaths
Philip Fleek , 56, state road supervisor, avid sportsman
Philip Martin Fleek of Glencoe was an avid sportsman, family man and retired road supervisor with the state of Kentucky.
He died of a heart attack Monday in Jonesville doing what he loved - turkey hunting. He was 56.
The oldest of 10 children, Mr. Fleek was born and raised in Hebron, son of Arnold Y. Fleek who was affectionately known in Boone County as "The Veggie Man" because of his roadside vegetable stand in front of the family's home.
"They never had anything growing up," said Mr. Fleck's wife of 12 years, Jean Osborne Fleek. But he never complained and was grateful for what he had, she said.
After attending Boone County High School, Mr. Fleck worked as a carpet installer before joining the bridge crew with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Department of Highways, where we stayed for about 10 years.
He then became a road supervisor for the state, a position he held until about a year-and-a-half ago, when heart trouble forced him into disability.
Mrs. Fleck said her husband was a devoted grandfather and community member.
"All the community loved him," she said. "He made people feel like they were part of a family."
A member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Catch and Release Program, Mr. Fleek loved hunting. He killed his first turkey in 1996 and had many fanned-out turkey tail trophies, his wife said. He also enjoyed deer and duck hunting.
He was hunting Monday when he died.
"He went doing what he loved to do," said his brother, Ronald Fleek of Burlington. "He was an avid outdoorsman. What better way to go than out in the woods with Mother Nature and God. He went like he wanted to go."
Mr. Fleek's wife said her husband also loved NASCAR racing and would travel with co-workers to the Atlanta Speedway to watch a race each year.
Mrs. Fleek admitted his Sunday NASCAR watching bugged her at first, but soon he had made a fan out of her, too.
"You couldn't change the channel, and you couldn't even eat dinner during the race," she said. "At first when we got we married I hated that, but then you get into it yourself."
Mr. Fleek also had a reputation as a comedian and prankster, according to family members.
Ronald Fleek recalled one hunting trip where he was the victim of one of Mr. Fleek's jokes. Mr. Fleek smeared black shoe polish around the edges of his brother's binocular lenses, leaving black rings around Ronald's eyes when he peered through them.
"That was his character," said Ronald Fleek. "Even during difficult times, he was always trying to make people happy."
Stepdaughter Molly McComas of Jonesville, Ky., said she would never forget her stepfather's love and friendship.
"He didn't have to be a dad to me. He didn't have to be a friend. But he was," she said.
In addition to his wife, his stepdaughter and his brother Ronald, survivors include sons Marty Fleek of Erlanger and Eric Michael Fleek of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a daughter, Robin Ormes of Erlanger; sisters, Sandra L. Schulze of Burlington, Brenda Kay Jones of Williamstown, Darlene Williams of Hebron and Tina Fleek of Florence; brothers, Robert Fleek of Florence, Dale Fleek of Elsmere and Dennis Fleek of Hebron; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Petersburg Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice