JOSEPH E. FISHER

1943 - 2014

Joseph E. Fisher, age 70, passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at the Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, Washington.

He was born on December 27, 1943 in Farragut, Idaho to Joseph and Vertamae "Bobs" (Black) Fisher.

Joe was a lifetime resident of Sedro-Woolley and Mount Vernon. At the age of 3 years, he contracted polio spending a year and a half at St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, and he was a March of Dimes Poster Child for Polio.

Joe attended school in Sedro-Woolley, graduating from Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of 1962. During high school he was an active member of Sea Scouts in Mount Vernon with the SES Viking and during college he worked as a dispatcher for the DNR. He attended Western Washington University and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education.

Joe began his teaching career at the Cascade Middle School in Sedro-Woolley, teaching English and Drama for 25 years. He enjoyed sports and for years kept score for the basketball and wrestling events. He was an active member of the Highland Games, he helped organize the Skagit Community Arts Theatre, he was an avid Seahawks fan, and he enjoyed reading.

Joe is survived by his wife of 34 years, Julie Bjorn-Fisher whom he married on August 9, 1980 in Sedro-Woolley; two sons, Kyle Fisher and his wife Sandi and their daughters, Amara, Shawntel and Patience of Stanwood and Bjorn Fisher and his wife Christena and their daughters, Madilyn and Katelyn of Mount Vernon; two sisters, Bonnie Allen and her husband Otis and Cheryl Brue and her husband Greg all of Sedro-Woolley along with numerous nieces and nephews. He also leaves two brothers-in-law, Mike Bjorn and his wife Diane of Mill Creek, WA and Jeff Bjorn of Fruitland Park, FL and a sister-in-law, Judy Bjorn of Leesburg, FL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Bobs Fisher; grandparents, Tom and Flora Black and Edward and Elizabeth Fisher; uncle and aunt Gene and Jean Mohler; father-in-law, Tony Bjorn; mother-in-law, Rosie Bjorn, and brother-in-law, Tony Bjorn.

In his 70 years of life, Joe courageously fought a 67 year battle of a very debilitating life with polio. Never asking, "why me." Though polio took many things from his body, he never let that limit what he could do or define who he was.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 1:00PM at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with a reception following.

Memorials are suggested to, Friends of Skagit Library, 614 Morris St., La Conner, WA 98257, the Sedro-Woolley School Foundation, PO Box 401, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 or a charity of your choice.

Please share your memories of Joe and sign the online guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com