Obituary of Richard Knight Fickett

Colonel Richard Knight Fickett, (USA, Ret), age 86, of Herndon, Virginia passed away at his home on Friday February 10, 2023 after a long struggle with bladder and prostate cancer.  COL Fickett was born in Portland, Maine, the youngest son Lewis and Phyllis Fickett of Naples, Maine.  Fickett was prepared at Bridgton Academy, North Bridgton, Maine and Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME.  While at Bowdoin, he was a member of the ROTC program and president of his fraternity, Theta Delta Chi.

During his 26 year Army career, COL Fickett served in many infantry assignments, including two years in South Vietnam, first as an advisor to a South Vietnamese infantry battalion, and subsequently, as commander of a US Army infantry battalion.  He also earned a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) with honors at Syracuse University in New York.  Among his awards, COL Fickett earned the coveted Expert Infantryman’s Badge, held by only a handful of comrades.

Following his Army career, COL Fickett pursued a 14 year consulting career, providing operations research support to Army and Marine Corps weapon programs.  COL Fickett also supported your activities such as Little League baseball coach and Cub Scout pack coordinator.  In 1970, residents of Hayfield Farm in Alexandria, Virginia, honored him by electing him president of their community association. 

Survivors include two daughters, Amy Fickett of Fort Worth, TX, and Vicki Lemley of Charlottesville, VA; two sons, Michael Fickett of Fairview Heights, IL, and David Fickett of Waco, TX; two nephews, Lewis Fickett of Lansdale, PA and William Fickett, Jr. of Vancouver, WA; two nieces, Karin Fickett of Concord, MA and Sybil Fickett of Los Angeles, CA; a sister-in-law, Martha Fickett of Lansdale, PA; and eight grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, all are encouraged to send a donation to support research at the American Cancer Society.