Richard K. Fisher, Sr., age 81, passed away on Saturday, November 2, at the home of his oldest son. Mr. Fisher was a veteran with 20 years of service in the US Navy. Upon retiring, he became a salesman for various companies, even receiving “Salesman of the Year” twice for Fansteel, Inc. He grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a place he dearly loved and visited often. Mr. Fisher was a loving husband, father, grand-father and great-grandfather and will be deeply missed by his family and many friends.
Mr. Fisher joined the US Navy in June 1956 after his high school graduation. He was immediately sent to Language School after showing an aptitude for languages. He eventually became fluent in German, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish. Because of his ease with languages, Mr. Fisher went on to become a communications technician and translated languages during the Vietnam War and the Cold War on several submarines and various air squadrons, eventually earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer-E7. Mr. Fisher retired in June 1976 and began his sales career, first with Fansteel Inc, then with Anthony Pools, next with Cues, a portable video inspection manufacturer, and finally with Clement Communications. He retired for good in 1996, although he did run the Carousel at the Wolfchase Mall for several years after it opened.
Mr. Fisher enjoyed fishing, playing cards, and shooting darts. Partnered with his son, Douglas, he went on to win several local dart tournaments. Most of all, Mr. Fisher enjoyed traveling the world with his wife, Adela. They visited Europe dozens of times, especially their favorite country, Austria. Mr. Fisher loved Hawaii, the home of his wife, and frequently visited family there.
Mr. Fisher was preceded in death by his parents, Eneica Thelma (Kern) and Edwin Leroy Fisher, his wife of 49 years, Adela Jane Fisher (Agosto) and his son, Douglas Edwin Fisher. He is survived by his five children: Richard Fisher, Jr. (Patricia), Debra Lynn Nichols (Kenneth), Jeffrey A. Fisher (Jim), Cynthia Ann McKinney (Harold), and David M. Fisher (Tracie), and his seven grandchildren: Richard III (Lauren) Fisher and Ashley Fisher, Luke and Drew Fisher, Shawn and Kameron Fisher-Nichols, and Skyler McKinney. He had two great-grandchildren, Harper and Jordan Fisher. Mr. Fisher is also survived by his younger sister, Patricia Ann McCauley and an older brother, John Fisher.
Services will be held on Thursday, November 7, at the Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens on Germantown Parkway in Bartlett, TN. Visitation will be 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Memorial service is from 2:00 to 3:00pm, with a catered reception from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. A Military Honors Ceremony will be held in a few weeks at the West Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org to help fight this dreaded disease.
