Chester Arthur Foulke

Chester A. Chet Foulke born July 19, 1922, passed away December 31, 2011.

He resided in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and grew up during the Great Depression days of the 1930s. He completed 10 years of schooling, but due to the hard times he, left school to work at an air craft plant near Philadelphia before the United States became involved in World War II.

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in September 1943, and attended recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina, advanced training at Camp Pendleton, California, and Camp Tarawa, Hawaii, in preparation for the Battle of Iwo Jima. He fought 36 days on the front lines as a demolition expert with Company C of the 5th Engineering Battalion. Chet is believed to be one of the last Nevadans to have fought at Iwo Jima.

When the war ended, he was sent to Japan for seven months of occupational duty before returning to the United States to receive his discharge as a corporal from the Marine Corps in May of 1946.

Mr. Foulke retired from the commercial transportation industry as a propane tanker operator after 35 years. For 25 of those years, he also served his community as a volunteer firefighter rising to become first assistant fire chief.

He moved to Las Vegas in 1972, and was a founding member of the Greater Nevada Detachment 186 of the Marine Corps League in 1986. He served as commandant from 1992 to 1995 and after that as chaplain for several years. He was greatly admired by members of the Marine Corps League for his bravery at Iwo Jima, and his involvement in the Marine Corps League.

He is survived by his wife, of 29 years, Martha G. Foulke his daughter, Mary Carol Schiele and her husband, Ed three stepsons, David, William and Jeffery Taylor and several nieces and nephews residing in Pennsylvania. Visitation will be noon1:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 12, at Davis Funeral Home, 6200 S. Eastern Ave. Services with full military honors will be at 2 p.m. at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Buchanan Blvd. in Boulder City.

A reception will follow at the Marine Corps LeagueLeatherneck Club located at 4360 W. Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas.

Visitation

Davis Memorial Chapel
6200 S. Eastern Ave.
Las Vegas, NV  89119
Thursday, January 12, 2012
12:00 P.M.

Cemetery

Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery
1900 Buchanan Blvd.
Boulder City, NV  89005