Valery Martin Fey

Valery Martin Fey, 90, of Port Arthur, TX passed away peacefully at home Monday, May 24, 2021 surrounded by his family. He was born on July 25, 1930 in San Antonio, TX to Walter Henry Fey and Erna Kneupper Fey, the third of four boys. He grew up in Converse, TX in the rich German-American culture of his parents’ families. He attended Converse School for 10 years and finished his last 2 years at St. Gerard’s Parochial High School in San Antonio, graduating in 1948. Valery enlisted in the U. S. Navy’s USNEV program on his 18th birthday, serving 1 year of active service on the destroyer USS Maddox, plus 8 years of reserve service as a radioman second class. He became a journeyman carpenter like his father and two older brothers. He married Marceline Ann Peveto of Port Arthur in November 1953. Two months later he hired on at DuPont’s Sabine River Works in Orange, TX as a laboratory analyst. During his 39 years of service, his work expanded to include laboratory instrument repair and laboratory glassware repair before retiring.

Valery’s interests, skills, and hobbies were many, including astronomy, auto mechanics, barbershop quartet singing, carpentry, electronics, fishing, hunting, LIONS Club, machining, organ club, and wine making, among others. He grew fruit and nut trees, grape vines, and a vegetable garden, which reflected his boyhood upbringing on a farm that included a dairy, using mule-drawn farm implements and picking cotton and corn by hand. He could repair most things and was always ready to teach others what he knew.

Valery’s deep and devoted Catholic faith was the cornerstone of his life and a strong example to his children and grandchildren. As a youth, he was an altar boy like his father had been. As patriarch of his immediate family and, later, his extended Fey family, he prayed for every member during his 6 am exercise walks. He was a member of the Holy Name Society, the Diocesan Choir, an adult advisor of the CYO, went on many retreats, and with his wife actively befriended and encouraged many of the priests and nuns he came to know.

Valery was preceded in death by his parents, by his brothers W. O. Fey, Kyran Fey, and Curtis Fey, by his sister-in-law Margaret Schumann Fey, and by his daughter-in-law Laura Kafaro Fey. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years Marceline Peveto Fey, his sons Valery Fey, Jr., and Francis (Lori) Fey, his daughters Eileen (Ruy Castelán) Dyer and Linda (Mark) Gregory, 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, his sisters-in-law Ruby Ann Schumann Fey and Teresa Krizek Fey, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be Thursday, 5-6:30 pm at Melancon’s Funeral Home, 1605 Ave H, Nederland, TX with Rosary at 6:30 pm. Requiem Mass will be celebrated Friday, 12 noon by Fr. J. C. Coon, Pastor, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church’s Family Center, 4100 Lincoln Ave, Groves, TX with committal following at Calvary Cemetery, 3700 25th St, Port Arthur. Memorial gifts may be made in Valery’s name to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at (409) 962-0255 specifically designated for repairs to the church.