John Fisher

John H. Fisher, 88, lifetime resident of Kidder County, died Wednesday, December 1, 2004, at Golden Manor Nursing Home in Steele, North Dakota, surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be Saturday at 11:00 AM at United Methodist Church in Steele with the Rev. Darrel Aleson officiating. Burial will be at Weiser Cemetery in rural Pettibone, North Dakota. Visitation will be Friday from 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM at Eastgate Steele Chapel where a Masonic Service will be held at 7:30 PM followed by a prayer service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. John was born on September 25, 1916, on the family homestead in Weiser Township, rural Tappen, North Dakota, the only child of Harry and Emma Burman Fisher. He attended country school and graduated from Tappen High School at age 16. John managed the Tappen Equity Elevator prior to enrolling at North Dakota Agricultural College NDSU. While at the AC, he was active in many student organizations including Blue Key, Alpha Phi Omega, Campus YMCA, Saddle and Sirloin, Board of Publications, and was elected student body president in 1941. He often worked several part-time jobs to pay for college tuition and later worked for NDAC agronomist, Dr. Glenn Smith, in the breeder's nurseries at the Langdon Experiment Station and at the Main Station in Fargo. After completing college, he began farming with his father and taught in the Vocational Agriculture Program for returning World War II veterans. He served as Vice President 1946 and President 1947 of the North Dakota Crop Improvement Association and was instrumental in establishing the NDSU Agronomy Seed Farm in Casselton, North Dakota. John married Ruth Marquardt of Pettibone on July 16, 1949, in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. He continued farming and ranching at Tappen all of his life and was an active 4-H leader, church youth leader, and lifetime member of Malcom Congregational Church. He was a lifetime member of Chancellor-Walworth Masonic Lodge, holding local and state leadership positions. He served as president 1963 of the Badlands Trail Riders and was a director for many years. In the late 1970's, John taught Vocational Agriculture in the Tappen and Steele School Systems. John is survived by his wife of 55 years, Ruth Marquardt Fisher of Wahpeton, North Dakota; three sons, Neal Debbie Fisher of Bismarck, North Dakota, Jay Marlys Fisher of Minot, North Dakota, and Hal Diane Fisher of Wahpeton, North Dakota; his grandchildren, Joshua Fisher of Tappen, Adrienne Nathan Dvorak of Bismarck, and Audra Fisher of Bismarck, Tara, Janelle, Jason, and Michael Fisher of Minot, and Jordan, Julia, and Jocelyn Fisher of Wahpeton; one nephew, Greg Marcy Marquardt of Pettibone, North Dakota; two nieces, Char Adamsons of Jacksonville, Florida, and Pat Lloyd Krieg of Tucson, Arizona; and one sister-in-law, Betty Franzen of Jacksonville, Florida.

John Fisher

September 25, 1916 - December 1, 2004