Charles & Mary Fisher

Mary Elizabeth Mathewson Fisher and Charles Leo Fisher on their 60th anniversary, June 26, 2008.

CHARLES LEO FISHER

Charles Leo Fisher was a generous and optimistic visionary who continually looked for ways to enhance the lives of others. Born in Sullivan, Missouri on October 6, 1925, he lost his father when only four months old. Despite the absence of a role model, he was an excellent Dad to his four children, a loving Grandpa to his eight grandchildren, and took great delight in his two great grand-children.

Coming of age during wartime, he attended an accelerated high school program at the Wentworth Military Academy, then the University of Kansas V-12 Program. Subsequently, he served in the Navy in post-war Philippines. Following his service, he earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. It was there he met Mary Elizabeth Mathewson of Madison, Wisconsin, whom he married in 1948.

Most of Charles’s professional life was in the investment business as a Certified Financial Planner. With almost 50 years in the field, he navigated many changes and several relocations. At age 77, Charles retired and moved with Mary to Duvall, Washington, to live near family.

Outside of work, he especially enjoyed photography and attending symphonies. He kept a collection of all the cameras he had owned since being the photographer for his high school yearbook. He also enjoyed travel, especially to Chartres Cathedral in France, where he was introduced to the practice of labyrinth walking, a discovery he loved to share with others.

Charles passed away on May 4, 2012; Mary passed away shortly thereafter on May 12, 2012. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Paul Gordon Fisher, and his son, Thomas Charles Fisher. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, or a charity of one’s choice.

MARY MATHEWSON FISHER

Mary Elizabeth Mathewson Fisher was a woman of great wisdom and loving presence. She loved to create beautiful and serene spaces which contributed to a sense of order and healing calm for others. Her sense of the aesthetic was excellent, and an important part of her life. She was a loving and wise Mom to her four children, a doting Grandma of eight, and a beaming Great-grandma of two.

Trained as an Occupational Therapist at the University of Wisconsin, she completed her internship at the Meninnger Clinic in Kansas City. She was always involved in service work, whether with her St. Louis church in the Stephen Ministries program, or with PEO or Delta Gamma philanthropic projects. She had a gift for evoking conversations that mattered.

While at the University of Wisconsin, she met Charles Leo Fisher at a party at her Delta Gamma Sorority house. After their marriage in 1948, Charles’s work took them first to Springfield, Illinois, then Decatur, followed by a move to St. Louis, Missouri, where they lived for 38 years. In 2003, they moved to Duvall, Washington to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Mary said of her 64-year marriage that while she and Charles had different perspectives, they were always looking in the same direction with the same values, and always put family first. They each expanded the horizons of the other in significant ways.

Mary passed away on May 12, 2012, just eight days after Charles passed. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother James Louis Mathewson, and her son, Thomas Charles Fisher. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, or a charity of one’s choice.

A Celebration of Life Service for Mary and Charles will be held at the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church at 4 p.m. on May 28, 2012, followed by a potluck dinner.