Barbara Ann Fish

Barbara Ann (Arnold) Fish, beloved wife of Samuel Nelson Fish Sr., passed away on August 16, 2024 at Hidden Springs Senior Living in Springboro. She was 86.

Barbara was the oldest of four children born to Mabel and Ernest Arnold. Barb and Sam loved to tell the story of how they first met, when the Arnold family moved to Lower Springboro Road. One of her father’s cows got out, and she was sent to retrieve it. Sam’s father sent him out to help her. They were both 12.

They attended Springboro schools together, graduating in 1956. Sam worked at NCR and farmed, while Barbara was a stay-at-home mom, raising their four children. Once the kids were mostly out of school, Barbara began a very successful wedding florist business, working out of her home. After about 15 years, she then started the Barb Fish Crop Insurance Agency, and became one of the leading salespeople in the Midwest. Her success led her to a group of women in the national agency who won trips throughout the world. She loved traveling with this group, and would come home with many Christmas ornaments, souvenirs, and tales of their travels to Ireland, Austria, Germany, etc.

She sold the business almost 15 years ago, when she and Sam retired to Saint Augustine, Fla. She loved to walk on the beaches of Anastasia Island, and take pictures of her relaxing in the warm sunshine and send them to family whenever cold and snowy weather hit Ohio. They would summer in their Springboro home.

Barbara was known for her beautiful gardens, and hundreds of Hosta plants. She loved to feed the birds, and saved the softest part of her heart for animals. Her children remember her tears when Killer, a baby killdeer bird she helped hatch, passed after she mothered it for three weeks, or a special farm animal or her beloved Swiss Mountain dog Jill passed.

In addition to Sam, Barb is survived by three of her children: Linda (Don) Oda of Springboro; Dan (Jane) Fish of South Carolina; and Lesley (Patrick) Kelly of Springboro; two sisters, Betty (Larry) Johnson of Chillicothe and Bonnie Arnold of Arizona; a brother Kenny (Kris) of Washington Court House; 13 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren. She also is survived by dozens of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son, Samuel Nelson Fish Jr. in 2021.

Visitation will be held at Anderson Funeral Home, 40 N. Main Street, Springboro on August 22, starting at 10 am followed by the service at 11:00 am and interment at Springboro Cemetery.

Instead of flowers, please consider donating to the charity of your choice in Barbara’s name.