Kenneth M. Fish

WILLOW SPRING – Kenneth Myron Fish, 77, passed away Thursday, September 15th, at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, surrounded by his daughter and his wife of 56 years.

Born August 10th, 1945, in Johnston County, North Carolina, he was the son of James Daniel Fish and Elgia Hayes Fish. He enjoyed an early and lifelong interest in technology and design when he wasn’t working on the farm with his family in Angier with his three younger brothers.

From his youth, Kenneth channeled his curiosity about technology into a wide array of hobbies, immersing himself in amateur radio beginning at age 16 and gaining his pilot’s license by the time he was 20 years old. His inquisitive spirit and intuitive knack for the mechanics of things led him to a career in computer automated design in addition to his extensive interests in cars, sailboats, experimental planes, and graphic design. Throughout his life, he built computers, cars, and enjoyed meeting people around the world through his amateur radio. His hobbies led him to membership in a ham radio club and to piloting for a skydiving club, along with fly fishing in the North Carolina mountains with friends.

On Christmas Eve in 1965, he married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Gail Altman. Five years later, they welcomed their daughter, Stephanie. In their young married life, he proved a selfless caregiver with his wife’s early diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, juggling parenthood and his career with trips to hospitals and taking wonderful care of his wife. Upon his retirement in 2009, he relished the opportunity to spend time with his wife and family on trips to the North Carolina mountains and the opportunity to focus on his hobbies, particularly his drones and remote control airplanes. He loved spending time with his grandchildren Brittany and Connor, of whom he was immensely proud.

A funeral service will be held on Sunday, September 18th at 3:00 PM in the chapel of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Angier. Burial will follow the service at Lakeside Memorial Gardens, Angier. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1:30-2:45 PM at the funeral home.

Kenneth is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gail Altman Fish; daughter, Stephanie Fish Jenkins (Jim) of Pinehurst; grandchildren, Brittany Jenkins of Chapel Hill and Connor Jenkins of New York City; brothers, Larry Fish (Gailya) of Willow Spring, J.D. Fish (Kay) of Raleigh, Kevin Fish (Teresa) of Willow Spring; brother-in-law, Jerry Altman (Connie) of Sanford.

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Bruce Altman; sister-in-law, Sarah Altman.