It has been said that “the purpose of life is to Live Fast, Die Young, and leave a nice looking corpse.” George “Undertaker” F. Fiske III lived fast, died not too young but unfortunately not really all that old, and as far as a good looking corpse is concerned… making sure the dearly departed looked their very best, well, that was George Fiske’s life’s work.
George Fiske’s life was indeed “One Hell of a Ride” (incidentally we mean both sitting up and lying down!). If you wanted to party with George Fiske, you had to be able to keep up with the best of them - and we mean it! Thus George would say “We’re not here for a long time – We’re here for a GOOD TIME!”
George F. Fiske, III, 71, of Brockton died suddenly but peacefully at his funeral home on Monday, November 10th, 2025. George was blessed with a great big heart, but sadly his heart gave out on him. He has gone home to be with those he loved who had gone before him: his family, his friends, and everyone who lived just as fast and hard as he did. George rocked and rolled with the best of them on earth and he will in heaven too, we’re sure of it!
George was born and raised in Athol, a quiet mill town in Central Massachusetts along Route 2. He was the first child of the late George F. Fiske, Jr. and Barbara (Thompson) Fiske. George hailed from the Fiske family of Fitchburg, an old time family with deep New England roots. His namesake grandfather George F. Fiske, Sr. was one of the first Massachusetts State Police troopers to ride a motorcycle while on highway patrol, a 1926 Indian Scout Motorcycle- very much a precursor to his grandson’s fascination with the iron horse and the culture surrounding it.
George was raised at the family funeral home established by his parents in 1952, the Fiske Funeral Home at 1356 Main St. in Athol. It was at his family funeral home that George would learn, develop, and hone his skills as a funeral director and embalmer that would become his life’s work. George viewed his career as a funeral director not just as his job or his business, but rather as truly his calling in life.
George was a graduate of Athol-Orange High School with the class of 1972, renowned and awarded for his high school career as a high jumper and basketball player. He went on to earn his professional degree in Mortuary Science in 1974 from the New England Institute of Anatomy and Sanitary Science in Kenmore Square in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay. While at school in Boston, George lived and worked at Boston’s flagship funeral home of J.S. Waterman and Sons Eastman & Waring on Commonwealth Ave. George was a member of the team of funeral service professionals who cared for those who were lost in the July 1973 Delta Airlines crash at Logan Airport. After graduation, he returned to Athol and joined his father full-time at Fiske Funeral Home serving his hometown community.
During his career, George was employed as a funeral director at Phaneuf Funeral Home in Manchester, New Hampshire and St. Laurent Funeral Home in Nashua, New Hampshire. In October of 1987, George relocated to Brockton, Massachusetts where he purchased the Hickey-Grenier Funeral Home at 238 Court Street and made his residence upstairs. Here, George found his forever home and became the owner and funeral director of what became Funerarias Multi Culturel for more than 50 years. While Court Street was George’s headquarters, he reached across the ocean and establish a funeral service firm in the Cape Verde Islands in the early 2000s. This would enable him to extend his service from the traditional base of French-Canadian and Irish clientele that Hickey-Grenier served to the wider Brockton and the Greater New England Cape Verdean, Haitian, Spanish, Brazilian, and other multi cultural communities. George rebranded the Brockton funeral home as “Funerarias Multi Culturel”, with an emphasis on service to all, both locally and abroad. As an ambassador for excellence in funeral service, George truly served people from all faiths and walks of life with his trademark sense of professionalism and compassion. An innovative funeral director, George developed his own personal motorcycle hearse for use on services, as well as embraced personalization of funerals and alternative funeral and memorial service options to better serve his families. George was a highly skilled embalmer and restorative artist, and his dedication to his calling enabled many families to have a final and peaceful memory of their loved one.
George was a well-recognized presence at many area social clubs. He was a member and Past Exalted Ruler of the Athol-Orange Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) and enjoyed visiting many Elks Lodges during his travels. He was a parishioner of the former Sacred Heart Church on Court Street, an affiliate of the Outlaws, a member of Club National, the 49ers, Conte Club, Bertocci, Bikers for Trump, Joe Angelo’s, and Alamo. George was supportive of many organizations and programs for the benefit of the Brockton community. In addition, George was a die-hard New England sports fan. He loved being a season ticket holder of New England Patriots and attending home games in Foxboro (no matter what the weather!) and every Marathon Monday in April, he would be at Fenway Park for the Red Sox home game then make a “pit stop” at the Cask ‘N Flagon to cheer on the runners as they crossed the finish line on Comm Ave. George had a special interest in the life of General George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and owned several pieces of George Rogers’s statuary from his late father’s collection. He was intent on finding Bigfoot before he died, a search that will be continued by his family members.
When he wasn’t working or socializing*, George loved to hit the road on his motorcycle or go for a long car ride- at one point, owning a classic MG car. In recent years, he would go back to his roots in central Massachusetts to visit family and friends. George also enjoyed a number of trips to memorable destinations like the Caribbean and Cape Verde. He was proud of his Irish heritage and annually he fervently engaged in the celebrations around St. Patrick’s Day and was known for his famous corn beef and cabbage.
We can’t talk about George without mentioning the long flowing mane of hair he was known for. George proudly wore and meticulously groomed his locks throughout his life, with the jet-black movie star hair of his younger years giving way to the mature look of the silver he gracefully embraced as a result of all the life experience that came with age. Between his ever present smile, the commonly seen shit-eatin’ grin, and all around good looks, he exuded the confidence of a “Silver Fox”.
The “Classic Rock” music of the 1960s, 70s, and beyond was the rhythm of George’s soul. A highlight for George was getting backstage to meet the late great David Crosby of the band Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. George always told the tale of making his way as a teenager to the illustrious Woodstock concert in upstate New York, and was at the 1994 and 1999 reunion concerts.
George will be remembered for his kindness, compassion, and generosity toward all he met along his life’s journey. Although George gave us all the “Irish Goodbye” from this life, his legacy of loyalty, friendship, and a life shaped by a sense of fun and adventure will remain in the hearts of all his family and many friends.
George would readily admit that his greatest accomplishment in life was being a father to his children. George was the loving father of the late Kyle Gardner Fiske who passed away in 2022, Jennifer (Fiske) Gilman and her husband Jamie of North Brookfield, MA, the late Lance Patrick Fiske who passed away in 2009, Drew Fiske, his wife Carine, Dwight Fiske and girlfriend Jennifer Goncalves and his former wife Nicole Fiske of Brockton, and Brandon Fiske and his wife Andrea. George was the proud grandfather of Erica, Kyrie, Violet, Dahlia, and Zinnia, and great-grandfather of Hazel. He was the brother of John Fiske of Worcester and Jane (Fiske) Slarskey and her husband David of Leominster, uncle to Mercury Fiske and his son Jyzear, as well as Julie and Jacob Slarskey, cousins, Kathleen Madden, Sean Madden, Jamie Madden and wife Sung Kim-Madden, daughter Niamh Kim Madden. George is survived additionally by his many family and friends including his very best friend Tina Tevlin, Joseph Carbonneau and wife Joanne, Mike O’Donnell and former wife Jackie O’Donnell, Taylor, Mike and his wife Jackie and Shannon and her husband Michael, Michael Morency and his wife Kylee, Jared Bartelamia and family, Chris Castro and family, Felipe Branco and family, Stephen Ferris and family, Mitchell Whalen and his wife Erica, Micheal Whalen and his wife Alexandra and there kids Greyson Lance and Olivia, Steve Stewart, Thomas Kelly and his parents Tom and Helen, the Barbosa Family, George’s Funeral Home Staff Vasco DeAndrade and Family, Efrain Vargas and wife Bethzy, Rosa Spinola, Antonio Martins, Maria Vieira, William Baker and family, and his funeral service professional colleagues with whom he shared a special bond.
George is survived by his “best buddy”, Georgina, who had the humor and energy to keep up with his antics. He was loved over his lifetime by Drew and Dwight’s mom Nancy Fiske of Brockton, Kyle and Jennifer’s mom Barbara (Kuniholm) Bellar and Lance’s mom the late Merry Jo Ann Chedid of Maine who passed away in 2020. He is loving survived and preceded in death by the countless other women he won over in his lifetime with the aforementioned good looks and charm. As George would always quote from the famous song: “If you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with!”
Since George never really did retire (it just wasn’t in his nature), his family has decided that his wake and funeral will be “George’s Retirement Party”! They want everyone to help make it “The Big Irish Send-off for George.” Drew and Dwight are determined to put the “FUN” in their dad’s funeral, and we know they will do just as their dad envisioned.
Please join them as everyone is invited to gather to honor and remember George and his legacy for Visiting Hours to be held at his Funeral Home, Funerarias Multi Culturel, 238 Court Street Brockton on Friday, November 14th from Noon to 8:00 PM. His Funeral will begin from his late residence the Home of Funerarias Multi Culturel on November 15th at 9:00 am, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 am, in St. Edith Stein Church with his eulogy being read by Pastor “Flat Head” Tom Iddings of the Broken Chains Biker Church at 71 East Main Street Brockton. After Church, George will take his “Last Ride” through the streets of Brockton on the way to his resting place escorted along the way by his many friends in the motorcycle community. George will be laid to rest alongside his beloved sons Kyle and Lance at Union Cemetery on Centre Street in Brockton.
The Repass will follow at the VFW, 283 N Quincy Street Brockton from 1-4 pm.
And please be sure to remember as George would want you to know…
“Almost Cut my Hair” said George - NEVER!
“Not All Who Wander are Lost”
“You Don’t Have to Go Home, But You Can’t Stay Here”