Richard Gregory Fazakerley

On March 17, 2016, just two days after his 94th birthday, MG Richard Gregory Fazakerley passed away peacefully with family at his side and under the exceptional care of military medical staff at the Fort Belvoir community hospital.

While attending the University of San Francisco, and enrolled in the ROTC program in 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Like many in the “greatest generation” Fazakerley immediately sought to enlist. He had hopes of being a Navy pilot, but was turned away when he discovered through their enlistment eye exam that he was colorblind. He moved on to the Army where he received surprising advice from a senior NCO recruiter that this would be a long and costly war and it would be better for the Army if he finished his education and ROTC. Fazakerley did just that and “fast-tracked” his 4-year degree, finishing a B.S. in Economics in just 2 years and 9 months. He continued on to Artillery Officers Candidates School and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coastal Artillery Corps in February 1944 in Lexington, Virginia.

Fazakerley’s Army career continued another 38 years. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He also was privileged to serve as comptroller for many great Army leaders of his time, including General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. while at MACV in Vietnam, and Generals Bernard W. Rogers and Frederick J. Kroesen. His final active-duty assignment was as Commander of the U.S. Army Finance Center and Assistant Comptroller of the Army of Finance and Accounting.

Although he held many significant Army finance assignments, he always expressed that the almost 2 years that he served as battery commander with the brave men of the 68th AAA Gun Battalion during the Korean War, were in a special category of their own.

During his career, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (Korean War), Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal with cluster, and the Army Commendation Medal.

In addition, the Army sent Fazakerley to the University of Southern California in 1954 to earn his MBA.

Fazakerley was not alone on this extraordinary life journey. It took a little convincing of his childhood sweetheart, Terry McCarthy, that it wasn’t foolish to marry during a war and to move from Oakland, California to Virginia. They were married on April 3, 1944. Terry was his steadfast partner and the love of his life until her passing in July 2009- shortly after celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.

After retiring from the Army in 1981, Fazakerley became the Associate Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, retiring again in 1986 when he lost most of his sight due to macular degeneration. After completing Veterans Administration rehabilitation training in 1987, he joined the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) as Director of National Field Services and later served as the BVA National President. During the mid-1980s he also was honored to serve as the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Finance Corps.

Terry and Rich made their last home together at The Fairfax retirement community just outside Ft. Belvoir in Virginia. They lived happily among many old and new retired military friends that shared so much in common in their lives’ journeys.

MG Fazakerley is survived by his four children: Veronica Fazakerley Herczogh of Burke, Va.; Gregory W. Fazakerley and his wife, Candy, of The Plains, Va.; Robert D. Fazakerley and his wife, Nancy of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; and Susan Fazakerley Smullen of Fairfax, Va. He was also blessed with 8 grandchildren, Spencer Hays, John Richard Herczogh, Eileen Herczogh Iseli, Tyler Fazakerley, Logan Fazakerley, Brooke Fazakerley, Emma Smullen, and Brigid Smullen; and 8 great grandchildren, Chandra and Forrest Hays, Felix and Lucy Fazakerley, Lily-Kate and Jack Herczogh, James and Forrest Iseli.

Friends and family are invited to Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 8710 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Alexandria, Va. on Monday, March 28 for a viewing and visitation at 10 am and a mass at 11 am. A luncheon will follow at The Fairfax Community at 9140 Belvoir Woods Parkway, Fort Belvoir, Va. 22060.

Friends and family are also welcome to attend the burial service with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery that will be announced at a later date.