November 11 1930 November 7 2022
Obituary Please share a memory of John to include in a keepsake book for family and friends. View Tribute Book John William (Bill) Fisher passed away on November 7, 2022, in Santa Rosa, California. He was predeceased by the mother of his children, Donna Fisher. Bill’s loving family includes his wife of 23 years, Ann Fisher; his children, Darien Fisher-Duke (John), James Weller Fisher (Suzanne), Barratt Harper Fisher (Raquel), and Robert Hoyt Fisher; his grandchildren, Adam Theis (Shaina), Antonia Vassar (Jonathan), Gabriel Duke (Rachel), Peter Fisher-Duke (Sadie), Jonathon Fisher (Hollie), Christina Higgenbottom (David), Sebastian Lopez, Joshua Fisher, and six great grandchildren. Born on November 11, 1930 to James Weller and Ruth Harper Fisher in Lincoln, Nebraska, Bill lived in Hong Kong and South America as a child, arriving in Santa Rosa in 1945 as a high school sophomore. He ran track at Santa Rosa High School and continued competing while at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he was later inducted into the Hall of Fame and served on the Bear Cub Athletic Trust. He went on to The University of California at Berkeley, where he earned his degree in business. Returning to Santa Rosa, he eventually assumed leadership of Culligan Water of Sonoma County, the second of three Fisher generations to do so. Bill’s life was defined by sports, community, and family. A lifetime sports enthusiast, Bill enjoyed golfing, fun runs with the Empire Runners, hiking, and snow and water skiing at Donner Lake. Bill remained a faithful SRJC Bear Cub and Cal Bears fan throughout his long life. He was the founding President of Santa Rosa West Rotary in 1965, served as President again in 1966, and remained active for over 50 years, always with perfect attendance. Bill joined Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club in 1956, served as President of the Club in 1975, and began the SRG&CC Junior Golf Team in 1971, serving as its coach for 40 years while inspiring countless junior golfers. He founded the Top of the Bay Junior Golf Tournament, a two-day event that ran for 40 years. Bill entertained his children every night with lively readings of books in the big chair. He took his kids on excursions every Saturday, discovering and rediscovering every park within a 25 mile radius of home, and going time and time again to favorite beaches at the coast with his children, their friends, and Queenie the dog. Like his father, Bill was a pilot. His children spent countless hours with him at the end of the runway watching planes take off and land, at the bowling alley running amuck, and at track meets running around as Bill timed events for the SRJC. A love of sports, exercise, travel, and books were just some of the passions Bill imparted to his children. As a friend, Bill will be remembered for his laughter, sense of humor and conversational prowess, his gregariousness, his steadfastness, his many contributions to his community, and his sincere interest in people. A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, November 16th, at 2:00 pm at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club. His remains will be interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Santa Rosa. Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Rotary International, SRJC Bear Cub Athletic Trust, and the First Tee. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John, please visit our floral store. Read more
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John William Fisher November 11 1930 November 7 2022.
Death notice for the town of: Dayton, state: Ohio