Obituary of Murray W. Fisk

Murray W. Fisk passed away very peacefully, on January 21st, surrounded by his loving family, in a home that he built with his own two hands. He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania on January 31st 1921 to Harry H. and Myrtle Stroud Fisk. He was the third of four children, with an older brother Harold, and Sister Helen, and younger brother Charles. He was raised on a dairy farm where he developed his love of the land and his country. In WWII, he served in the Army Airforce as a radio operator and navigator in photo reconnaissance on the B24 Liberator in the South Pacific. His service in the War enabled him to get his education through the GI Bill. He was a long-time resident of Tunkhannock and a graduate of Penn State with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He married Trudy Trunk in 1951 and together they had 5 children. He was named to the Penn State agricultural extension staff in 1950 as assistant Potter County agent. He was promoted to associate agent there in 1954 and in 1956 was named extension agent in Wyoming County. He finished his career as senior extension agent. His career was inspired by an experience he had as a boy growing up on his Wayne County farm, during The Great Depression, with a Penn State agricultural agent. The family’s potato crop was in jeopardy, but was saved by a suggestion from the agent to spray for the potato blight. He assisted in establishing the first experimental dairy farm in Pennsylvania in 1956 on the Don Williams’ farm in Wyoming County. In the late 1960’s, he organized a series of six forum-style meetings on a highly controversial “fast breeder” nuclear reactor which was proposed to be built in Wyoming County. These forums received national recognition as an outstanding public affairs educational program. With his long list of accomplishments, he took the most pride in helping the farmers. He was an avid sportsman who loved to hunt and fish. He was a member of both the Pennsylvania and National Associations of County Agricultural Agents; Epsilon Sigma Pi, national honorary extension fraternity; Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity; Masons, Rotary and the Tunkhannock United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Martha Fisk Lunger. He is survived by his beautiful wife Trudy Fisk, daughter Jane and her husband Peter Wiggins, daughter Marilyn and her husband Thomas Miller, son Paul Fisk and his wife Zita, daughter Ann and her husband Tim Ware, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday January 26th at 11:00 AM from the Tunkhannock United Methodist Church Tunkhannock, Interment will be in Sunnyside Cemetery. Friends and family may call at the Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home, Inc. 73 West Tioga St. Tunkhannock Monday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Memorial contributions can be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America or to Triton Hose Co. Tunkhannock. For directions and on line condolences please visit www.sheldonkukuchkafuneralhome.com