Henry Blanchard Fischer

Attorney Henry "Hank" Blanchard Fischer, age 86, of Chesterland, Ohio passed away peacefully at home on October 23, 2022 surrounded by family. Henry was happily married to Marsha Ann Fischer (Colwill) for 57 years, was the father of three children and the grandfather of three, and was an accomplished attorney, musician and athlete. He was a generous, humorous, Godly man who touched the lives of everyone around him. Henry grew up in East Cleveland where he was co-captain of the Shaw High School football team. Henry went on to attend Northwestern University, where he played football on a full athletic scholarship and earned his degree in Chemical Engineering. Following graduation Henry worked for the Lubrizol Corporation as a chemical engineer while attending evening classes to earn his JD from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. It was during this time that Henry met Marsha. On their first date, Henry was sure she would be impressed when he picked her up in his new Ford Galaxie Convertible, only to be shocked to find that she already had the exact same car! As focused and driven as Henry, Marsha had earned her undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University and was working as a teacher while also pursuing her Master's Degree in Education from Western Reserve University. The two were married soon after both completed their studies. Henry was admitted to practice law in Ohio in 1964 and was also admitted to practice patent cases before the United States Patent and Trademark Office the same year. Henry quickly found his passion was in litigating cases unrelated to patent matters, which took his legal career, that spanned over 50 years, in a different direction. Henry worked as Special Counsel then Assistant Attorney General of Ohio under William B. Saxbe, then went on to be appointed as the Prosecutor and Assistant Law Director, then Law Director for the City of East Cleveland during the time that Judge Stanton Adams, widely known then as tough on crime, served on the court bench. Henry went on to work in private practice representing numerous cities, villages, counties, school boards, corporate clients and individuals. Henry also worked part-time as Assistant Law Director for the City of Euclid for many years and his chemical engineering background helped him to represent the City of Euclid in federal court for many years on highly complex environmental law matters. Henry's reputation as a successful trial and appellate law attorney led to him being sought out for representation in numerous novel and complex cases before Ohio and Federal Courts of all levels, including the honor and privilege of arguing before the United States Supreme Court, the highest federal court of the United States, on constitutional law matters for the City of Lakewood. Henry's talented trial and appellate court advocacy in the municipal law arena earned him nicknames throughout his legal career such as "Hank the Mayor's Tank" and "Hank the Hammer". With an avid interest in technology, Henry was often the first of his friends and colleagues to own and use the latest modern gadgets such as a car phone, a word processing machine, a personal computer, and a Blackberry. As a result, he was also widely known throughout his legal career as "Hi-Tech Henry". In the later years of his career, Henry stopped litigating but continued handling various matters including contracts and estate planning. Henry always had a passion for practicing law and often said that the most satisfying part of his career was having the ability to help other people. He genuinely meant it. And he certainly helped many. Henry had a lifelong love of music and was a talented musician. In his undergraduate days, he often sang and played piano at “swanky” bars in Chicago to help him pay his way through school but as he would tell you – it was more for the free drinks. Henry's love of music continued throughout his life. Henry's baby grand piano has sat prominently in the family living room for decades where he would often play and sing. He also loved to play tunes at family gatherings with his children, and later his grandchildren, playing different musical instruments. Henry had high standards but was respectful and quick to praise exceptional work. Henry's highest praise was to call a person a "Class Act." To Henry this had a certain meaning that the person not only did remarkable things, but did so with humility at all levels and held a high level of character and integrity that he highly respected. Using his own high standards, Henry will always be a true Class Act. Henry is survived by his dear wife of 57 years, Marsha Ann Fischer (Colwill), their three children, Margaret "Peggy" Jones (Don), William "Bill" Henry Fischer (Christine) and Julie A. Taft (Peter) and three adoring grandchildren, Amanda Joy Burton, Emma Belle Fischer and Simon Henry Fischer. Henry was preceded in death by his sister, Dolores L. Fischer and his parents Henry J. and Della G. (Brown) Fischer. Henry was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Al Koran Shriners and attended Christ Presbyterian Church in Chesterland, Ohio.

Wake on Friday, November 4 from 4–6pm at Gattozzi & Son Funeral Home 12524 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, Ohio 44026. The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 3:00pm at Christ Presbyterian Church 12419 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, Ohio. Private interment at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers that contributions be made to the Hospice of the Western Reserve or the Salvation Army.