FISCHER, J. Noreen 1922-2011

FISCHER, BARKER, GREENAWALT, DENTON, HATINGER

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 11/2/2011 at 00:59:23

[Waterloo Courier, Sunday, September 4, 2011]

CEDAR FALLS - Noreen Fischer, 89, of Cedar Falls, died Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Western Home Communities Elizabeth E. Martin Health Center from complications of congestive heart failure.

Noreen was born Jan. 26, 1922, in Denver, Colo., to Rose Barker and Arlo Cornell Greenawalt. She grew up in El Paso, Texas, and graduated with a B.A. from the University of Colorado in 1942. After becoming the first women hired by the Department of Agriculture (Denver) in an executive position, she married her college sweetheart and co-worker, Robbins W. (Bob) Fischer on April 10, 1943. They celebrated 67 years together before his death on Sept. 9, 2010.

Noreen worked for several government agencies before moving to the family farms in Onawa. In 1959 the family, now with three daughters, moved to Cedar Falls. Shortly, Noreen joined her husband in his two business ventures: SoyPro International and International Business Associates as vice president. She became expert at market development and international shipping of clients' agricultural equipment, like Roskamp roller mills.

While Bob traveled the world, Noreen became active locally. She served on the Junior Achievement, LIFT, Cedar Falls Chamber, and Iowa State Humanities Advisory Board, among others. She focused on federal job training programs and served from 1977-2000 on the six-county board that evolved from CETA to PIC to Workforce Development, serving 13 years as chairman. Her PIC Area VII developed a program for assisting ex-farmers that was officially adopted nationwide.

Noreen was a charter member of Cedar Falls Altrusa, Markeeters, and a 62-year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

Awards: National PIC Chairman of the Year, Women In Communications Salute Award "Woman of the Year," Community Volunteerism, and two Governor's Volunteer Awards.

She was preceded in death by her husband, sister Patricia Greenawalt and daughter Martha Denton.

Survivors include two daughters, Barbara (Dale) Hatinger of Cedar Falls and Dorothy Fischer of Coppell, Texas.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at the First Congregational Church of Waterloo, with private burial in Greenwood Cemetery. Public visitation at the church Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Memorials may be directed to P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund and the church.

Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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