George Richard Fischer

Lieutenant Colonel George “Rich” Fischer, USA (Ret) passed away on August 5, 2025, after a lengthy battle with coronary artery disease and liver cancer. He leaves behind his wife, Ruth, to whom he was married for 56 years; his daughter, Amy and her partner, Chuck; his daughter, Hilary and her husband, Chris, and their three sons – Danny, Vincent, and Evan; his brother, Dan and sister, Pat; his niece, Susan and nephew, Mike. Rich was most proud of the accomplishments of his family, especially his daughters and grandsons. LTC Fischer was preceded in death by his parents George William Fischer and Evelyn (Baird) Fischer.

Rich was born in Omaha and spent all of his early life in Belleveue, Nebraska. When he finally left in 1963, it was to join the great “None Shall Surpass” West Point Class of 1967; he later studied at Stanford, Georgetown, and Marymount Universities and the US Army Command and General Staff School. For Rich, along with leading his soldiers in combat, being a member of the Class of 1967 was the greatest honor and privilege of his life. After the Field Artillery Officer Basic course and Ranger School, LTC Fischer began his Army career in B Battery, 1/6 Field Artillery in Fort Hood, Texas and then served in Vietnam with the Army’s 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as a Batter Commander receiving two Bronze Stars for Valor, one Purple Heart, and several awards of the Air Medal. His many Army assignments included: Instructor, Army Field Artillery School; test officer at the Field Artillery Board; Assist Chief of Staff, G5, US Army Second Infantry Division; Chief of Policy and Plans, ROK/US Combined Forces Command C5; Korea Desk Officer, US Joint Chiefs of Staff, J5; and a tour in the Headquarters in the US Army Strategic Defense Command. For his work in these assignments, LTC Fischer was honored with several awards of the Army and Joint Commendation Medals, the Army and Joint Meritorious Service medals, a Legion of Merit, and a Republic of Korea Award for National Security Merit. Following his retirement from the Army, he worked as a defense contractor in Coleman Research Corporation and L3 Corporation for another 13 years.

As an athlete, Rich was a determined competitor. He spent the next twenty years competing in Virginia State Golf Association and Golfweek national tournaments. The highlight of these tournaments was 15 years at the North & South Super Senior Tournament at the Pinehurst Country Club. As he aged, he always loved the competition with men of exceptional character and ability and made many of his closest friends at these tournaments. Rich earned Club Champion at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Army Navy Country Club, Virginia, and Eighth Army champion in Korea. He traveled the world and played thousands of rounds of golf over the years with Ruth in Oklahoma, California, Kansas, Korea, and North Carolina. All good times.