Warren Clark Fackler

Warren Clark Fackler

Cedar Rapids

Warren Clark Fackler passed away on Friday, September 6, 2024. A private burial was held at Sulek Cemetery near Shueyville, Iowa.

Warren was born on August 3, 1934, in Cedar Rapids to Vivian Clark Fackler and Charles Fackler. He began school in Des Moines and continued his elementary and high school education in Indianola. Warren attended college at Iowa State University and completed his Bachelor and Master Degrees in Engineering at the University of Iowa. While completing his Bachelor’s degree, Warren worked at Amana Refrigeration. After graduating, Warren served in the U.S. Army for six months at Fort Belvoir, Virginia to fulfill his ROTC commitment. Warren then began work at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids. During his tenure there, he worked on the Apollo and Gemini projects and travelled to Florida to observe one of the related space launches.

After leaving Rockwell Collins, Warren and 3 colleagues founded Spectra Associates in 1972. One of the projects the business was responsible for the initial design and implementation of the Fiber Optic Network for the State of Iowa. Two years later Warren founded Telesis Systems to design and build prototype electronic products. In 1994, he and his wife purchased Iowa Radio Supply.

Warren’s volunteer work included serving on the National Board of American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He enjoyed his involvement with the Cub Scouts, Webelos and Boy Scouts, serving in leadership positions including Scoutmaster. Warren was a member of the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association and enjoyed fishing with his two sons on the trout streams in Northeast Iowa. Warren was an amateur artist, a member of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, enjoyed bicycle riding and completed RAGBRAI with his sons. He enjoyed a visit to Prague with his family to visit Czech relatives. Warren also traveled to France with his family to the wedding of one of his nephews.

Warren’s ancestors emigrated from Czechoslovakia to Iowa in the mid-1800s. They lived in an area close to Ely, and the settlement came to be known as Fackler’s Grove. A pioneer cemetery with that name exists today under the care of the Ely Historical Society.

Warren married Fern Kalan on June 8, 1957. He is survived by his wife, their children Julie Fackler Gillespie, Clark Fackler and Todd Fackler. He is also survived by his sister Ruth Fackler Richards of Raleigh, North Carolina, and his brother Dr. Carl Fackler of Atlanta, Georgia and their families.

Donations in Warren’s name may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Ely Community Center on October 26th. Time to be announced later.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com