Rev. William Fisackerly III

Beloved husband, father, pastor and friend, the Rev. William Alan Fisackerly III, 93, entered his heavenly rest at The Estates at Carpenters in Lakeland, Florida on July 8, 2024.
The son of William A. and Hester Fisackerly, Bill was born in Jacksonville, Florida on August 19, 1930, and lived most of his life in the Sunshine State. A graduate of Landon High School in Jacksonville, Florida Southern College in Lakeland and Candler School of Theology (Emory University) in Atlanta, GA, he married the love of his life, Annabelle Foster, in Ft. Myers on November 20, 1955.
As a follower of Jesus Christ and a pastor in the Florida United Methodist Conference, "Brother Bill" served fifteen churches from 1950-1999. He was an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster, member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honor society, volunteer firefighter and paramedic, member of a Civil Air Patrol, hospital chaplain, and Kiwanis and Rotary Club President. For over 75 years, he was entrenched in the Florida Methodist Youth Camp (now Warren Willis Camps & Conference Center) as a leader, counselor, program developer and Mature Years Retreat leader. He led numerous mission trips to Haiti and Nassau, was an advocate and friend of the Miccosukee (Seminole) Indian Nation in South Florida, and the Florida UM Children's Home (now called Residing Hope). After retirement, he and Annabelle together logged over 23,000 volunteer hours at Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine (LVIM). In 1999 he initiated the first Florida UM Conference Retired Clergy E-Newsletter, which provided much needed connections with the Conference for retired clergy and their spouses. He edited and distributed it until 2019. He was a skilled carpenter, gifted artist, fisherman, gardener, historian, lifelong learner and storyteller, and adored by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Annabelle were faithful, active members of College Heights United Methodist Church. They were residents of The Estates at Carpenters, where he served as Chairman of the Residents Association in 2012, offered welcome tours of the facility, and organized a woodworking and furniture repair shop. He deeply cared for others, rich or poor, regardless of race, creed, color or sex, and taught others to do the same.
Bill was predeceased by his loving wife Annabelle in 2021, sister Lucy Whitehead, son-in-law J. Todd Adams, and great-grandson Nicholas Adams. He is survived by five children: The Rev. Dr. Bonni-Belle (Alfred) Pickard, Lucy Anne Adams (Carroll) Wontrop, Laura-Grace (Carl) Anderson, Blanche Marie (Robby) Lewis and the Rev. Dr. William A. (Kim) Fisackerly IV; 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, brother-in-law Rev. John (Ginny) Whitehead, sister-in-law Laurie Whitlow, two nieces and three nephews.
A memorial service celebrating the lives of Bill and Annabelle Fisackerly will be held at College Heights UMC in Lakeland, FL on Saturday, July 27 at 4:00 p.m. A reception will be held afterward in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Lakeland Volunteers In Medicine (LVIM), Residing Hope (formerly Florida United Methodist Children's Home) or Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center.