Robert Burton Fisher M.D.

PORTLAND -- Robert Burton Fisher, M.D., passed away on May 4, 2011, at Maine Medical Center in Portland. He was born April 18, 1937, in Bronxville, N.Y., the son of Granville Hamilton and Ida Katherine (Adams) Fisher. He attended Amityville Public Schools on Long Island. After serving in the Air Force during the later part of the Korean War, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Centre College, Danville, Ky., and his M.D. from Duke University. He completed his internship in psychiatry at Queen's Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii, and his residency in psychiatry at the University of Washington's School of Medicine. Later, Dr. Fisher earned a masters degree in public health, also from the University of Washington. He was a member of both the American Psychiatric Association and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Dr. Fisher spent the early years of his career in Washington and Hawaii providing alcohol- and drug-abuse services. He acquired dual citizenship from New Zealand in 1985 in order to accept several governmental positions, culminating in his appointment as deputy director of mental health services in Wellington. From 1997 to 1998, Dr. Fisher served as director of adult mental health programs at Rockhampton Base Hospital in Queensland, Australia, and in that capacity frequently provided mental services to patients in the Outback. Throughout his career, through his affiliation with the World Health Organization, Dr. Fisher made numerous trips abroad to assist in the development of HIV and AIDS outreach programs, as well as alcohol- and drug-abuse services in local communities throughout Southeast Asia and the islands of the South Pacific. Early on he served as head of the United Nations team combating drug abuse on the Marianna Islands, living on the island of Truk. From 1992 to 1997, he was employed by Vanderbilt University's Medical School, serving as medical director for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and from 1998 to 2006 by Tulane University's Medical School, serving as medical director for the Louisiana Office of Mental Health. Most recently he was employed by Dartmouth Medical School working at the Riverview Hospital in Augusta as a forensic psychiatrist.

Dr. Fisher was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Marjorie Ann (Fisher) Ransome, and her husband, John Fry Ransome. He is survived by his wife, Diane (Landry) Fisher; one daughter, Chloe Lianne Fisher; two stepsons, Nicholas Chappell (and wife Remy), and Daniel Chappell (and wife Jaclyn); and step-grandson, Landon Chappell. He is also survived by his twin brother, Charles Granville Fisher (and wife Patricia); his nieces, Blair E. Weaver, Barbara Ransome, Sara Lugo and Meredith Sacks; one nephew, Adam Granville Fisher; four great-nieces Emma Sacks, Delaney Sacks, Lyla Fisher and Anya Fisher; and one great-nephew, Cooper Sacks.

A funeral service with the Holy Eucharist will be held at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth, on Saturday, 14 May 2011 at 11 a.m. Reception to follow at the Parish Guild Hall. Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care, 660 Brighton Ave., Portland. To offer words of condolence, sign a guest book and/or share memories of Robert, go to the obituary page at www.independentdeathcare.com.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holt International Adoption Services, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402; www.HoltInternational.org.