March 21, 1948 – December 19, 2021 John M. Fickewirth passed away peacefully on December 19 at the Riviera-Chablais Hospital in Switzerland, surrounded by his children. He was the beloved father of Kristy (Jerry), Danis (Ileana) and Amira (Edward), the beloved grandfather of Ryan, Connor and Danica and the beloved brother of Arline (Ron).
Mr. Fickewirth was born on March 21, 1948 to Ruth and Alvin Fickewirth. He grew up in El Monte, California, and graduated from UCLA with a BA in history. His passion for history was a constant throughout his life, influencing the trips he took, the books he read, and the artifacts he collected and displayed throughout his home. Mr. Fickewirth was also a pragmatist and with no means of earning a living from his degree in history, he entered the insurance business and in 1970 Fickewirth & Associates was born.
Mr. Fickewirth was a visionary and pioneer in the world of public sector union benefits. During his distinguished career, Mr. Fickewirth has worked tirelessly to provide access to affordable health care to hundreds of thousands of public sector employees and their families. In October 2020, he proudly celebrated his 50th birthday in business. Mr. Fickewirth loved to share his wisdom and took great pride in his role as a mentor to countless people, including his own children.
Mr. Fickewirth enjoyed spending time with family and friends, traveling, railroads, photography, maps, exploring the desert, scuba diving, off-roading, shooting, radio hobbyist, reading and adding to his extensive personal library. He was a man of exacting standards who enjoyed both the best things in life and the adventures of camping in the wilderness. He might have a mercurial temper, but he loved fiercely and deeply. He preferred the finest formal attire and accessories, but preferred to drive his van or Jeep. When asked about the incongruity of some of his preferences, he was known to simply say “I like what I like”.
In recent years he has had more time to devote to his many and varied personal interests. However, he refused to call himself a retiree and instead described himself as “a gentleman of leisure”. Mr. Fickewirth was larger than life and will be sadly missed.
A private service will take place on December 30, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tonopah Historic Mining Park Foundation, Tonopah, NV. Silver Top – Tonopah Historic Mining Park (tonopahminingpark.com)
Mr. Fickewirth was born on March 21, 1948 to Ruth and Alvin Fickewirth. He grew up in El Monte, California, and graduated from UCLA with a BA in history. His passion for history was a constant throughout his life, influencing the trips he took, the books he read, and the artifacts he collected and displayed throughout his home. Mr. Fickewirth was also a pragmatist and with no means of earning a living from his degree in history, he entered the insurance business and in 1970 Fickewirth & Associates was born.
Mr. Fickewirth was a visionary and pioneer in the world of public sector union benefits. During his distinguished career, Mr. Fickewirth has worked tirelessly to provide access to affordable health care to hundreds of thousands of public sector employees and their families. In October 2020, he proudly celebrated his 50th birthday in business. Mr. Fickewirth loved to share his wisdom and took great pride in his role as a mentor to countless people, including his own children.
Mr. Fickewirth enjoyed spending time with family and friends, traveling, railroads, photography, maps, exploring the desert, scuba diving, off-roading, shooting, radio hobbyist, reading and adding to his extensive personal library. He was a man of exacting standards who enjoyed both the best things in life and the adventures of camping in the wilderness. He might have a mercurial temper, but he loved fiercely and deeply. He preferred the finest formal attire and accessories, but preferred to drive his van or Jeep. When asked about the incongruity of some of his preferences, he was known to simply say “I like what I like”.
In recent years he has had more time to devote to his many and varied personal interests. However, he refused to call himself a retiree and instead described himself as “a gentleman of leisure”. Mr. Fickewirth was larger than life and will be sadly missed.
A private service will take place on December 30, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tonopah Historic Mining Park Foundation, Tonopah, NV. Silver Top – Tonopah Historic Mining Park (tonopahminingpark.com)
Published by Los Angeles Times from December 29, 2021 to January 2, 2022.
