TUPPER LAKE
Creighton C. Fee was born on November 17, 1927 at the Tupper Lake Junction to Marjorie D. Creighton and Francis R. Fee.
He graduated from Tupper Lake High School in 1945 and was in the U.S. Army from February 1946 to April 1947 as part of the Army of Occupation, 304 Signal Battalion, 8th Army, Yokohama, Japan.
He graduated from the NYS College of Forestry at Syracuse in June 1951 with a B. S. in wood technology.
He had been a licensed Land Surveyor since 1958 and worked, as a surveyor, on the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway among many other surveying projects.
In 1972 he was appointed Assistant Professor at Paul Smith’s College – Surveying Technology; promoted Associate Professor and then Full Professor and retired as Professor Emeritus in 1997.
At age 44 he changed careers from full time land surveying to part time surveying and full time college teaching.
It turned out to be the most challenging but fulfilling and difficult of times. He began his teaching career when measurements were taken with tools dating back some 100 years or more and ended it in the electronic and computer age and satellite communications. The methods of measuring, compiling data and producing a usable product had changed but the theory and thought process remained very similar.
The rewards of these 25 years were in knowing that in some measure, he was able to assist in the education, work habits and responsibility for many young men and women. He was still staying in contact with many alumni and was always interested in following their career and seeing them get married and have families. He was very proud of the success of his alumni.
He was a Charter Member of the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors, recipient of the NYSAPLS Meritorious Services Award in 1997 and as a token of their appreciation, the alumni of the Surveying Technology program of Paul Smith’s College created the C.C. Fee Alumni Memorial Scholarship.
He retired from his land surveying business December 2009
He was predeceased by his wife Irene on April 4th, 1991 and his son Kevin (Angela Sciotti on September 6, 2010.
In June 11th, 1994 he married Diane Gagnon. He is survived by his wife Diane, son Thomas (Cheryl Clement), grandchildren Christopher C. Fee, Morgan Fee, Alec Fee, Danielle R. Fee (Nick Amell), a great-granddaughter Sophia Irene Amell, step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren, a brother-in-law, Robert Raum and several nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Friday, October 12 from 4 to 7 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Alphonsus church. Donations in his memory may be made to the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad or the Book Grant of Northern New York Assoc. of Land Surveyors, c/o Barbara Marvin, P.O. Box 969, Lake Placid, NY 12946. Online condolences may be made at www.stuartfortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.