Richard Hale Fischman

Richard Hale Fischman, 85, of Garrett Park, Maryland, died on July 4, 2025, with his wife, Christine, by his side.

Richard was born on April 5, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, the only child to David Fischman and Pearl Elman. He grew up in Brooklyn, playing stickball on East 10th Street, cementing a lifelong love of baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played competitive tennis across New York City in his youth and continued to find joy on the court throughout his life. Shaped by his time at the Brooklyn Ethical Culture School and Midwood High School, he went on to attend George Washington University, where he studied Business and Public Management.

In his 20s, Richard worked for USAID across various assignments in Africa. After obtaining a Master's Degree in Urban Affairs from The University of Wisconsin, his professional focus was on housing equality. In the 1970s he worked for the Urban Redevelopment Task Force in Kansas City, MO. Richard's management and negotiation skills led to a career transition to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board in Topeka, KS and then onto the Resolution Trust Corporation as a Resolutions Specialist during the banking crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. In 1994, Richard began working for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in Washington, DC as the Assistant Director of Resolutions. After retirement from the FDIC, Richard became an International Banking Advisor with the U.S. Department of the Treasury with assignments in Serbia and Turkey. Richard returned to the FDIC to support the banking crisis from 2008-2012.

Beyond his career, Richard was a loving and generous man, with a genuine curiosity for the people and world around him. Everyone in his life could count on his willingness to offer guidance and support when asked, bringing his wide-ranging and deep knowledge of the world and history into a wise and level-headed conversation, regardless of the subject. His love of travel took him around the world and he was always willing to share a bite of whatever delicious treat he found along the way. He shared a second home in his wife's hometown of Shelbyville, IN where he loved and was beloved by her seven sisters and their many children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Christine; their daughter Alison (Elliot), children Diane and Mark (Rie), stepchildren Jason and Carriann; grandchildren Kezia, Jude, Karina, Corey, Dante, Aja, and Roxanne. Richard was preceded in death by his adored Aunt, Beatrice Sacks. His loss will be felt by many more close friends and family.

Memorial service date to be announced.