James Fisher III

1984 - 2020

James Harold Fisher III

February 24, 1984 - February 4, 2020

Raleigh

James H. Fisher, III, known for his love of family, dedication to country and engaging personality, died peacefully February 4, 2020 in Madison, Wisconsin while traveling for business.

Jimmy was born February 24, 1984 in Bloomington, Indiana to James H. Fisher, II and Karen Temple Fisher. As a child he lived in Lexington, Kentucky, where he and his sister Margaret attended Sayre School. The Fishers moved to Cary in 1997.

From a young age Jimmy showed his outgoing personality and love for life as he played rounds of golf and made friends on the course. He loved to go fishing, a hobby he picked up from his grandfathers, whenever possible.

Jimmy attended Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he excelled as a member of the golf team and endeared himself to fellow students and faculty alike.

After high school graduation in 2002, he attended the prestigious United States Military Academy, where he played varsity golf for four years. His West Point experience was unique. His honorable roles as company commander and as an intern for Hilary Clinton were juxtaposed with his often serving "hours" (walking back and forth in the cadet area because of disciplinary infractions). This perfectly demonstrates the duality of Jimmy's personality, a natural born leader who lived life to the fullest.

He graduated from West Point in 2006 and joined the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery. At his graduation party, Jimmy met Sarah Cummings, his great love, who later became his wife.

Jimmy served his country for nine years, most of which was spent with the 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, where he served as a platoon leader in combat. While in Afghanistan, Jimmy's platoon fired more rounds in support of troops-in-contact than any other platoon in Afghanistan at the time. Due to Jimmy's expertise as the Fire Directional Officer, his platoon was selected to be the first to fire the Excalibur round and in doing so he set the standard procedure for the rest of the Army.

His achievements and leadership in combat led to positions of increased responsibility, including serving as a general's aide-de-camp and commander of an Airborne Field Artillery Battery. He was then selected as the illustrious 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters Company Commander. He earned the following awards and decorations: the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (2 Awards), the Army Achievement Medal (5 Awards), the Meritorious Unit Award, the Valorous Unit Award (2 Awards), the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and the Parachute Badge.

While he enjoyed the Army, Jimmy pursued a civilian career in 2015. He earned an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and worked in Washington, D.C. as an investment manager at Goldman Sachs. Opportunity and his love for family drew him home to North Carolina, where he worked as vice president for Tailgate Guys and later became state director of sales for the health company Unite Us.

Jimmy was happiest among family and friends. He adored his wife, Sarah, and their daughters Charlotte and Caroline. To those who knew him best, Jimmy was the epitome of #GirlDad and could often be found outside with his daughters as they hiked, swam, or played on a playground. He loved his daddy-daughter time where he took his girls out for special treats. The young family frequented sporting events, especially for the women's teams at Duke.

As members of the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, Jimmy had an outlet for his love of golf, competition, and comradery. Among friends and family, Jimmy was known for his infectious laughter, inimitable dance moves, and devotion to those he loved.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents Ethel and Hugh Temple (Bloomington, Indiana), Rebecca and James Fisher (Louisville, Kentucky) and his uncle, John Temple (Bloomington, Indiana).

He is survived by his wife Sarah Cummings Fisher; daughters Charlotte Elizabeth Fisher and Caroline James Fisher, all of Raleigh, North Carolina; parents Karen and Jim Fisher of Pinehurst, North Carolina; sister Margaret Fisher of Charlottesville, Virginia; and his in-laws John and Gwen Cummings of Raleigh, North Carolina.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, February 15 at 11 a.m. at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Jimmy Fisher Family Fund via https://tinyurl.com/jimmyfishergofundme.