Loren "O" Fluke's Obituary
Loren O. Fluke
105 years old. Born 1/23/1920 Russell Iowa, Died 2/16/2025 Temecula CA
Loren was preceded in death by his parents, Loran Odell Fluke Sr. and Carrie Ada Elliott Fluke, wife Margaret (Tootie) A. Newsom Fluke, and grandson Loren S. Fluke. He is survived by his son Stanley L. Fluke (Nancy) of Branson, MO. and daughter Sally A. Malec (Richard) of Temecula, CA., three grandchildren Olivia L. Fluke, Evelyn S. Bennett, and Kenneth R. Malec, and six great-grandchildren. Loren was born on a farm; in the house his father had built in southern Iowa and lived a rural life for his first 14 years before the family moved to Des Moines. Loren traded his pony for his first car, a 1924 Dodge chassis (no body) with a milk carton to sit on. He became a mechanic out of necessity. While attending North High School in Des Moines he met his lifelong sweetheart, Margaret. Graduating in 1939 he headed west in 1940 to look for work. After finding a job in San Diego, California with Consolidated Aircraft (Convair/General Dynamics) riveting B-25s together, he sent for and married Margaret in September of 1940 (his mother had to sign for him to marry as he was only 20 years old). Drafted into the Army Air Corp. as an Armorer Gunner 612 with the 3D Emergency Rescue Squadron, Loren ended up in the Pacific campaign. He flew in a B-17 aircraft outfitted as part of a rescue squadron that carried a 27’ boat under the plane that could be dropped to downed flyers. His squadron landed in Japan one week after the second atomic bomb. He flew over Hiroshima and would later say “it was devastating to see such horrible destruction.” He returned home in February 1946 to continue his career in the aircraft/aerospace industry. He was very proud of his work as he worked on and helped build fighter jets, missiles, rockets, and even parts that helped put the Apollo spacecrafts in space. Loren lived in San Diego for 77 years personally building two of the homes that the family lived in. He enjoyed watching baseball and was an avid Pardes fan, he was a member of the East San Diego Presbyterian Church until it closed and then became a member the Faith Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the Lemon Grove VFW. Loren retired in 1979 but not to relax, he was never one to sit still, he found many projects to do such as working his 20-plus fruit trees, rebuilding or repairing family/friends’ cars, and fixing anything he could put his hands on and helping son Stan in his contracting business. Loren and Margaret enjoyed traveling and doting on grand and great-grandkids. After Margaret passed in 2016 (they were married for over 75-plus years) Loren moved to Branson, Missouri to live with his son Stan for five years before returning to Temecula, California to live with daughter Sally and her husband Rick. During his last few years, he was still in great health and loved to work in Sally’s garden, only really struggling the last three months as time caught up with him. One of his favorite
sayings was “Why pay someone when you can do it yourself.” He will be forever missed by his family. He taught life by examples of work ethics, love, kindness and just being there for whoever needed his help or a hand. Services will be on March 5, 2025, at Greenwood Cemetery, Salli Lynn Chapel at 11:00 am, viewing at 10:30 am. Entombment to follow.
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