Howard W. Fleming Sr.

May 27; 1921 — Oct. 25, 2005 

Howard W. Fleming, 84, residing on East Farnsworth Drive, South Bend, IN, passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2005, in his residence. He was born on May 27, 1921, in Jackson, Michigan, to Roland W. and Florence R. (Larkey) Fleming, and had lived in South Bend since 1936, coming from Jackson, MI.

On November 6, 1948, in Chicago, IL, he married Elizabeth Ann O'Neal. He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth of 57 years. He is also survived by a son, Howard W. and Nancy B. Fleming Jr. of Greensboro, NC; his daughter, Jennifer L. Brook of Lami, FIJI Islands; four grandsons, Bradley A. Fleming, Matthew D. Fleming and David J. Fleming, all of Greensboro, NC, and Thomas J. Brook of FIJI; and two granddaughters, Lauren Elizabeth Brook and Brianna L Brook, both of Fiji. Also surviving are a brother, Col. Paul A. (Virginia) Fleming (retired) of Cape Coral, FL; three sisters, Bettylou Miller of Elkhart, IN, Gloria A. Gillette of Battle Creek, MI, and Barbara R. Fleming of Kalamazoo, MI; a sister-In-law, Georgianna Fleming of Evanston, IL; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. A brother, Roland E. Fleming Jr., preceded him in 1985.

Mr. Fleming was a veteran of World War II. As a P-47 fighter pilot, he flew 87 combat missions in Burma with the tamed "Burma Banshees" - 80th Fighter Group. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. In 1990 the Chinese government (Taiwan) awarded him the Chinese Air Medal. He was a life member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association, Ltd., and a life member of the MillviIle, N.J., Air Museum. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps two weeks after Pearl Harbor. In 1942, while enrolled as a college student and waiting to be called to service as an aviation cadet, he earned a private pilot's license and, after the war, he became a commercial rated pilot, continuing to fly for many years in civilian life. He enjoyed flying, hunting, fishing and golf.

He graduated from South Bend Central High School in 1939 and earned a B.A. degree at Michigan State College, graduating in 1948. He was a former president of the Michigan Stale Alumni Association of Michiana.

He was a Realtor for 41 years and had been the president and owner of Crosstown Realty Co., Inc., for 23 years. For 12 years prior to retiring in 1992, he was associated with Time Realty, Inc., as a broker/agent. He was past president and director of the South Bend-Mishawaka Board of Realtors and was a charter member and co-founder of the Multiple Listing Service of the Board of Realtors. He was a past vice president of the South Bend Civic Planning Association, and was a past director and past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the South Bend Shrine Club. He was a member of the Cathedral of St. James Episcopal Church, St. Joseph Lodge #45 F.&A.M., Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of South Bend, Orak Shrine Temple, Michigan City, South Bend Shrine Club, a life member of B.P.O. Elks #235, the Morris Park Country Club, the China-Burma-India Veterans Association, was regional vice president of the P47 Thunderbird Pilots Association L.T.D., the Four Lakes Country Club, and the Scottish Rite Ancient & Honorable Society of Duffers and Diggers golf league.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am. Monday, October 31, 2005, in the Cathedral of St. James, 117 N. Lafayette Blvd., South Bend, IN. Graveside services and burial will follow at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Granger, IN. Friends may call from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, October 30, in Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South Bend, where a Masonic memorial service will be conducted at 5:30 p.m. by members of St. Joseph Lodge #45 F.& A.M. Memorial contributions may be made to Shrine Hospital for Children, 221 N. Oak Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60635; to the Episcopal Cathedral of St. James, 117 North Lafayette Blvd., South Bend, IN 46601; or to the Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637. 

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and FindAGrave.com

10/09/2023 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90397534/howard-w-fleming