Charles E. Fisher

Charles E. (Chuck) Fisher East Lansing Chuck, retired Assistant to the Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), died October 6, 2010 at the age of 83. He was employed at MDOT for 19 years, 1970-1989. Previous employment and pursuits included: U.S. Navy during the waning months of World War II, mostly in the South Pacific. He left high school (St. Stephen's, Port Huron) in his junior year to join the war effort; Three years in the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll) preparing for the priesthood and missionary work; Five years at Marquette University, Milwaukee, majoring in history and journalism; Following graduation, worked one year as news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal's TV station; Followed by five years as News Director of radio station WHBL in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and then five years as a news reporter and columnist for the Sheboygan Press; Followed by one term as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman John A. Race of Wisconsin; Followed by four-year term as Public Information Director for the Catholic Diocese of Lansing; Followed by 19 years with MDOT - nine years as Assistant to the great Tom Shawver (Public Information Director) and then 10 years as Assistant to MDOT Director John Woodford, and later to Director Jim Pitz; Chuck's service with MDOT ended in 1989. Along Chuck's path of life he met and married the love of his life, Eleanor (Kerry) Kerrigan RN, of Camlachie, Ontario, Canada, on October 8th, 1955. They met when Chuck had an emergency surgery in Sarnia, (ONT.) hospital and Kerry was his nurse. (Her disarming Irish way obviously made a big impression.) She died in 1992, culminating a lifetime of "Doing Good" - parenting and mothering a family of 14 children, sprinkling it all with her unique Irish wit and her joy of being Irish. Fourteen children? When Chuck and Kerry were raising their own five children in Wisconsin, they became involved with a young family of nine that suddenly became orphaned. Chuck and Kerry stepped into this tragedy when they learned that the nine were about to be split up among aunts, uncles and an orphanage. The nine enlarged the Fisher family from 5 kids to 14, (7 boys, 7 girls), including two sets of twins. The oldest of the new family was 13. The two oldest wanted to keep their own name of Charette. So each of the expanded family became known as a "Fisherette." The Fisher/Charette bunch: Mark Charette, wife Pat and daughter Genie Mary Ellen Schimmel, husband Al, children Albert, Joe, (Heidi) who preceded him in death. Paul Charette, wife Cynthia, children: Michael, Katie, Emily, Peter Margaret Corrigan, husband Peter, children Liam and Aidan Peter Charette, wife Anne Cleary Thomas Charette Teresa Fuller, husband Doug, children Christopher and Liz Christina Maria Fisher, and Richard Craanen John Charette, wife Kathy, two sets of twin boys Andrew and Adam, Jacob and Joseph Joan Showalter, husband Rick, daughter Alaina Charette Anna Maria Fisher Dennis Kerrigan Fisher, wife Sharon and their four sons: Trent, Chad, Brett and Scott. Dennis has a son and daughter from a previous marriage. They are Gregory, wife Rebecca; and Rachael, husband Ethan Stringfellow. Timothy Patrick Fisher, wife Alma, and their daughter Mia Angel. Tim has two sons from a previous marriage, Devon and Kerrigan Mary Jo Stowe, husband Marty and their two boys Patrick and Brian. Seven of the fourteen "Fisherettes" reside in Michigan with the others living in California, New Mexico, Virginia and New Hampshire. At Chuck's request there will be no funeral or memorial service and his body was cremated. Chuck, a lifelong writer, composed most of his obit, and he insisted on having the last word: FAREWELL and GO BLUE! - 30 -