George William Fischer

George William (Bill) Fisher was born on August 21, 1926, in Wilkeson, Washington. He entered his eternal home on March 26, 2021. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at the Eastside Church of Christ, in Marlin, TX at 2:00 p.m.

You might notice a difference in the spelling of Fisher. Bill chose to change his name back to the original spelling of Fischer much later in his life. His father, George A. Fisher changed the spelling of his last name to Fisher, dropping the "c" when he came to America from Germany.

Bill attended schools in Wauconda and Republic, Washington, graduating from Republic High Schools in 1943. He worked in the Apple orchards, as a Farm/Ranch hand, and as a logger for the Timber Mills. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, in 1945, and was stationed at Camp Hood, TX (name was later changed to Ft. Hood) where he served as a Military Policeman. While at Camp Hood he met Maebelle Downes, who was a Cadet nurse at the U.S. Army McCloskey Hospital. They were married in Gatesville, TX, on October 7, 1947.

For 35 years, Bill worked as a lineman and a meter reader for the Southwestern Electric Company serving the communities of Marlin, Perry, Otto, and Riesel. Bill loved to drive and meet new people. Following his retirement from the electric company he worked as a security courier and later for Johnson Bros. Ford in Temple, Texas. He proudly served with the Temple Citizen's Patrol at the age of 88. Bill loved people, his community and he rarely met a stranger. He had a great love for football and was a huge supporter of the Marlin High School Bulldogs for over 60 years, many of those years he served on the chain crew. He loved watching his grandsons play football. He always had a great love of music, especially County and Western and Polka music. He was gifted with the ability to play an instrument by ear, his guitar, his accordion, or in his early years the piano and organ. Gardening was another of his loves. Being blessed with a green thumb, he would share his produce with friends and family. At the age of 92, he was still driving friends to appointments and grocery stores. A fall in 2019 resulted in fractures limited his independence and ultimately made him wheelchair dependent. Knowing the high risk of surgery at 94, he elected to have a hip replacement rather than spend his last years in a wheelchair. The family wishes to thank Dr. Allen, Dr. Sutherland and all the physicians and nurses at Baylor Scott and White-Temple for the care and support given him during his journey.

Bill is survived by his wife of 20 years, Peggy Perkins Fischer; his five children, Judy Witherwax and husband, Mike, of Robinson, June Stevens and husband, Frank, of Hewitt, Jeanie Kuehl and husband, David, of Houston, Larry Fischer and wife, Pamela, of Allen, William Fisher and wife, Becky, of Kosse; 12 grandchildren, Michelle Witherwax Dvorak and husband, Joey, of West, Sean Witherwax and wife, Holly, of Bryan College Station, Karla Stevens Mathis and husband, Shawn, of China Spring, Brad Stevens and wife Jessica, of Norman, Oklahoma, Chad Kuehl, of Houston, Kelli Kuehl Irwin and husband Sam, of Huntsville, Dayne Fischer and wife, Kara, of Houston, Matthew Fischer and wife, Brooke, of Shallowater, Zachary Fischer, ]3ryan­College Station, Victoria Fischer of Allen, James Fisher and wife, Megan, of Riesel, Nicole Fisher of Whitney; 14 great-grandchildren, Croix and Lucas Dvorak, Blake Mathis and wife, Callie, Brayden Mathis, Brooke Mathis, Madison Witherwax Freas and husband, Carter, Haydn Witherwax, Mia Witherwax, Mayzi Witherwax, Conner Kuehl, Haley and Aiden Irwin, Emery and Natalie Fischer, Cheyanne and Harper Fischer, Anabelle, and Ava Fisher. He is also survived by his sister, Shirley Chunn of Wauconda, Washington; by numerous nieces and nephews including: Jo Ann Wallace, Diane Guy, Laura Blood, Virginia Pearson, and Jimmy Willoughby of Idaho and Wayne Chunn of Virginia and Diane Chunn of Washington state.

He is survived by stepchildren, Billy, and Kevin Perkins; step-grandchildren, Brittany McDowell, Kaytee Vincent, Keith Brown and Clint Brown, and Sydney Claire Perkins.

Preceding Bill in death were his parents, George A., and Esther W. Huntington Fisher; Wauconda, Washington; sister, Doris Willoughby, and husband Jim of Pinehurst, Idaho; second wife, Peggy Brown Fischer and her sons, Steve, and Brandon Brown of Kosse; first wife, Maebelle Downes Fisher of Marlin.

Bill was baptized at the Gatesville Church of Christ while serving in the Army and reaffirmed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior prior to his death. Per his wishes, a private memorial will be held at the Central Texas Veteran Cemetery in Killeen, Texas, date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Texas Fallen Officer Foundation, https://www.texasfof.org/ or the Sunny Glen Children's Home, 2385 W Expy. 83, San Benito, TX 78586.