Michael Steele Fisher

"Everything is going to be okay," Mike would say. Michael Steele Fisher, 77, of Richardson, Texas passed away on August 20, 2024. Mike was born in Gallipolis, OH on March 18, 1947, to Betty Lou (Simmons) and O. Steele Fisher. The Fisher family laughed a lot, as did all of their friends – maybe there was something in that Ohio River water
As a boy, Mike enjoyed riding his bicycle all over town; Boy Scouts; hunting and fishing; playing all team sports; canoeing and camping along Racoon Creek; waterskiing on the river and creating lifelong friendships.
Mike learned the value of work at an early age. A born salesman, at the age of 8, he began selling the hometown Gallipolis Tribune on the street eventually advancing to having a bicycle route delivering the Columbus Dispatch. He also worked at the family's Economy Cleaners business – making deliveries, collecting on accounts, helping his father repair machinery, shoveling coal into the boilers and other tasks. Mike often laughed that he went from selling newspapers and pet food all the way to cutting-edge RFID Technology during his career with The Carnation Company, BF Goodrich Aerospace, EPI Technologies and Intermec Technologies.
Mike graduated from Gallia Academy High School in the Class of '65, where he lettered multiple years in baseball, basketball and football. In 1964, he was first introduced to what would become, "the hardest sport I ever played [golf]," by Charlie Neal at the local municipal course.
Attending Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, (B.S. Industrial Technology and Business Administration) was made possible by a Federal Student Loan supplemented by washing dishes during the school year at Mom's Kitchen and summer jobs including the Gallia County Road crew, ACF railroad car factory, and Bob Evans slaughterhouse. In college, he added softball and competitive weightlifting to his repertoire of sports while he continued pursuing golf.
Mike met Sarah Dunn of Point Pleasant, WV on a double date (thanks Keith!) on New Year's Eve 1965. Beginning in August of 1966, and during college breaks, with each making frequent trips across the River via the Silver Bridge or by ferry boat, Mike and Sarah dated, and danced, and danced, and danced. They were married in Oakland, MD almost 55 years ago.
The couple settled in Columbus then the Canton-Massillon, OH area; welcomed sons Brad and Chris, remaining there until moving to Richardson, TX in 1978. From the time "the boys" were toddlers, Mike was always playing some kind of ball with them - teaching them teamwork, fair play, and sportsmanship. He coached most of their teams growing up, and continued playing with them, and their friends, for the rest of his life – fun.
Mike enjoyed tennis, hunting and fishing and playing competitive softball and basketball for many years with the ROFJ (Richardson's Old Frustrated Jocks) before hanging up those shoes to focus on golf. Mike had 6 Holes-in-one and "shot his age" or better numerous times. In August 2023, he completed his bucket list to play golf in all 50 US States. In all, he played over 300 courses in the United States, Scotland, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Carving powder horns and Halloween pumpkins, working a Sudoku puzzle every morning and doing whatever Sarah asked also kept Mike busy. With Sarah, he enjoyed annual trips to the beach, snow-skiing, traveling near and far, family and hometown reunions, good food (Clara Belle's apple pie), Motown music and great friends. Lucky were we.
Mike was a member of First United Methodist Church of Richardson, Richardson Crime Watch Patrol, Canyon Creek Country Club, Dallas Senior Interclub golf team and was a Pi Beta Phi "Arrow Man".
Survivors include wife, Sarah D. Fisher; sons Brad of Prosper, TX and Chris (Jennifer) of Austin, TX; grandchildren Annie, Abigail, Sarah, Ben, and Andrew; sister Melanie Herr (Fred) of Huntington, WV; brother-in-law James Dunn (Barbara) of Henderson, WV; many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and his Ohio "brothers from other mothers." Preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, Clara Belle and Clifford Dunn.
The family would like to thank Dr. Alan R. Trumbly and the caring professionals at Methodist Richardson Medical Center and Cancer Center and Faith Presbyterian Hospice for their loving care and support during our journey. And, of course, to our friends, we are forever grateful.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at 3:00pm - Gleneagles Country Club, 5401 W Park Blvd Plano, TX 75093. A second celebration will be held on the banks of the Ohio River in Gallipolis at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial dedication for Michael to: Texas Scottish Rite for Children www.scottishriteforchildren.com. Donate Now - Scottish Rite for Children (convio.net) OR
MRMC Foundation www.methodisthealthsystem.org/giving Online Donations | Methodist Health System