Brunhilde W. Fischer

Brunhilde was born in 1924 to Wilhelm and Dorothea Fischer in Deizisau, Germany. She was the youngest of 14 children and grew up during wartime on a small, family farm. After providing end of life care to her mother in Germany, she immigrated to the United States in 1955 to join three of her siblings Augusta (Fischer) Votteler, Adolf Fisher, and Heinrich Fischer in Illinois.

Brunhilde began her career in 1955 as a caretaker in the Boys' Home in Decatur, where despite her initial language barrier and heavy accent, the boys' attempts at pulling tricks on her were unsuccessful. (She had learned many skills and tricks herself, as the youngest of 14 children!) She held several positions throughout her career, and finally retired in 1998 after serving for 11 years as the Janitorial Supervisor for Macon Resources, Inc. at The Millikin National Bank building in Decatur.

In 1979, Brunhilde moved in with her widowed sister Augusta in Decatur, and they lived together until Augusta's death in 2004. While Brunhilde had no direct children or grandchildren of her own, she was present and involved in the lives of her nieces, nephews, and the generations that followed. She was greatly loved, and she was endearingly known as "Tante," which means Aunt in German, by both family and friends. She is survived by nieces and nephews.

Brunhilde held high standards in all she did and for those around her. She had a beautiful garden and shared her bountiful produce with those she knew. She enjoyed cooking healthy and tasty meals and remained a believer in olive oil instead of mayonnaise. She often commented that "They don't make it like I do." She could strike up a conversation with anyone and enjoyed teasing others; there were no strangers in her world. Brunhilde was a committed and valued member of her community in Decatur and Riverside Baptist Church until she moved to Lansing, Michigan in 2016 to be closer to Augusta's surviving family. Brunhilde professed her faith in the saving grace of Jesus, and her certainty of going to Heaven.

The family thanks the caregivers at Grandhaven Living Center and from CorsoCARE for their compassionate attention to our Tante while she was with them.

A memorial service will be held for Brunhilde in Decatur, Illinois and those details will be announced in the near future.

Memorial contributions may be given to Riverside Baptist Church for Missions, 1250 W Mound Rd., Decatur, IL 62526.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greastlansing.com for the Fischer family.