Obit – John Fisher

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John Fisher

September 3, 1931 – January 23, 2020

Albert John Fisher, who went by both John and Jack, passed away on Wednesday, January 23, 2020 peacefully in his home.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, John was the son of Albert Fisher and Nelly May Fisher. At only 14-years-old, he enlisted in the military with the Seaforth Highlanders and shipped off to war, arriving in Japan two days late for World War II, but among the first to serve in Hiroshima after the bomb was dropped.

He fought on many battlefields, notably doing four tours in Korea. He was awarded seven medals during his career, including the Korean War Service Medal from the Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans.

When he was discharged from the Canadian military after being wounded, he walked across the street and enlisted with the British military. He always ran towards the firing.

After wartime, John stayed in the military, teaching himself to play the French horn and joining the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Band (PPCLI), where he stayed for 23 years. He became Drum Major, and was chosen to lead the bands during the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo in 1967, which toured the country from coast to coast and was the largest such event in the history of the Canadian military. He led again in 1988.

He was asked by the U.S. government to serve on loan with the U.S. Marine Corps to train their military bands. After retiring from the military, he was recalled to duty twice to train drum majors for the Canadian military.

When John left the military, he returned to school and completed all coursework from grade 8 through a B.A. in Geology at the University of Calgary. He played French horn professionally with a number of famous conductors, including Arthur Fiedler and Leonard Bernstein.

He joined Shell Oil as an exploration geologist and went on arctic expeditions, surveying the Northwest Territories and getting as close as 400 miles from the North Pole. The trains full of coal that travel along the railways to Deltaport are carrying coal from a mine that John discovered and surveyed.

During his time at Shell, John met Davea Fisher while on a trip to Chicago. It was love at first sight for both of them. They married, and a few years later relocated to New Jersey, where he became an environmental geologist, first for U.S. Testing and later starting his own company, Enviro-Test, Inc.

When they retired, John and Davea looked west to Point Roberts, Washington where they both became active in the community. John was active with the fire department and served for a time as fire commissioner. He also played French horn with the Delta Community Band.

He is survived by son Kenneth Fisher and daughter-in-law, Cindy Fisher, daughter Michele Wallis, sons William Wallis and Gib Wallis, and granddaughters Kaitlin Andrusyk, Molly Fisher, and great grandchildren Logan and Hailey Andrusyk. He is predeceased by his wife Davea Fisher, and his sons Michael Fisher and John Fisher, Jr.

A memorial was held on February 16 at the Tsawwassen Canadian Legion.

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