John A. Fisher (2015)

FISHER, ROUTH, SIMPSON, COSTELLO, PRUSS, OPALANKO, WANGENHEIM

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 12/15/2015 at 20:49:50

Earlham Advocate
Earlham, Iowa
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Page 3

JOHN A. FISHER

John A. Fisher, a long-time Earlham, Iowa resident, died November 25, 2015, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa following an extended illness. He was 69 years old.

Born in Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania March 30, 1946 to Henry A. and Mary E. (Simpson) Fisher, John was the youngest of nine siblings. In his early teens, John and his family moved to California, where he later graduated from Gardena High School in January of 1964. Shortly after graduation, John joined the United States Air Force. John served his country as a minuteman ballistic missile specialist and was stationed in Grand Forks, North Dakota. John left the service in 1968 and returned to California, where he later met Mona when the two joined the same bowling league. The couple married on October 29, 1976. After their son (Kevin) was born in 1977, they decided to move back to Mona’s home state of Iowa, where their daughter (Annie) was born in 1980. John took a job working in computer software, and the couple eventually made Earlham, Iowa their hometown. During later years, John worked as an industrial engineer for several Des Moines-based companies, including Des Moines Water Works, Siemens, and Firestone.

John enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a loyal, life-long supporter of the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During Kevin’s childhood, John joined Kevin in Tae Kwan Do classes and earned his own black belt. John was a very proud grandfather and greatly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife of 39 years, Mona (Routh) Fisher of Ankeny, Iowa; son and daughter-in-law, Kevin Fisher and Amy Costello, of Ankeny, Iowa; daughter, Annie Fisher, of Earlham, Iowa; his five grandchildren and step-grandchildren: Emma, Adam, Sophie, Paxton, and Owen; his sisters: Gloria Pruss, of Oceanside, CA, Thelma Opalanko, of Carnegie, PA, and Patricia Wangenheim, of Moorpark, CA; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob, Bill, Don, Glenn and Henry Jr. “Jid”, three brothers-in-law; and a nephew.

In keeping with John’s wishes, no formal funeral service will be held. Family and friends are invited to gather at the Legion Hall at 137 S. Chestnut, Earlham, Iowa on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. for a celebration of his life.