Funeral services with full military honors for Alan C. Fisher, 96, Lawrence, will be at 10 am Wednesday at First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Dr. Tom Brady officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. Mr. Fisher died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, at his home, surrounded by family.
He was born May 15, 1922, in Globe, the son of Harold Clark and Lora Ester Albright Fisher. He attended Brubaker, Lone Star, and India rural grade schools, and graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1940. He later graduated from Lawrence Business College in 1941 and from the University of Kansas in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in Business.
Alan was active in the Army ROTC at the University of Kansas, and later served his country in the United States Army, serving in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He worked briefly for the American Legion Department Headquarters in Topeka before beginning a 45 year career with the Reuter Organ Company, where he held the positions of service & installation manager and purchasing & personnel manager. He retired in 1994. He was very active in Dorsey-Liberty Post 14 of the American Legion, where he held various positions of leadership and worked with many of their activities – the Legion baseball team, Boy’s State, Cadet Law, pancake feed, the Avenue of Flags, and providing military funeral honors. He was bestowed the Life Membership by the Post. He also researched and wrote a history of the Post from its founding in 1919 to 2002, which can be found at the Post and the Lawrence Public Library. He was named the Substantial Citizen by the Kiwanis Club in 1999 and was voted into the Lawrence High School Hall of Fame in 2015. Alan was instrumental in getting the name ‘Liberty Memorial’ attached to Central Middle School, and was a frequent volunteer at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Alan married June Rose Burton on Mar. 9, 1951, in Lawrence. She survives of the home. Other survivors include four sons, Michael Fisher, Eudora, Kevin Fisher, Lawrence, Brian Fisher and wife Rita, Eudora, and Kent Fisher and wife Chris, Lawrence; five grandchildren, Jay, Matt, Ryan, Kaitlyn, and Noah; and two great grandchildren, Blake and Brooklyn. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Ross Fisher, and a sister, Margarett Starkey.
Friends may call from 9 am to 8 pm Tuesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, where the family will receive them from 6 to 8 pm. Memorial contributions are suggested to Dorsey-Liberty Post 14 American Legion youth programs, or Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com
We are so grateful for everyone’s kind words about our dad. All of your comments and memories mean so much to us.
THANK YOU from all us,
June, Mike, Kevin, Brian, Kent
Alan and my father were volunteer escorts at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for several years. I met Alan through this connection. Dad and I both enjoyed him very much. It was always a pleasure to occasionally see Alan around town in recent years. His dignified yet friendly and genuinely interested attitude are part of what I’ll miss about him. Dad died in 2018, and I know if he were still here, he’d be sad to hear of Alan’s passing. They were both WWII veterans and had lifelong respect for others who shared that experience, as well as both remaining actively involved with their branches of service until the end of their lives. In addition, they were each devoted to serving others in many ways. They were exemplary members of a great generation.
Today was the perfect celebration of Alan’s life. I loved your dad with all my heart. Alan was there for me as a teenager checking coats at Legion events. (Always close enough to know if I needed help.) And he was there for my family throughout the year of my father’s illness and subsequent death/funeral. He was there again when I was working, with a smile and a hug every day he volunteered at LMH. And he was there through my mother’s cancer. I will never, ever forget the day he wheeled my mother from her hospital room to oncology, tears streaming down his cheeks the whole way. Alan Fisher was a man among men and my life has been blessed to have him in it. God Bless you boys in this time of grief and remembrance. His legacy will live on forever in the hearts of those he touched.
Alan was my uncle. He was a true American patriot, a good father to his four sons, and a devoted husband to June Bailey Fisher. He was always kind and helpful to my mother after my father’s death. When my mother was in a care facility in Ottawa, Kansas in 2016-2017 uncle Alan drove from Lawrence to Ottawa on several occasions to visit her. During this time, I stopped by to speak to Alan and gratefully thank him for his selfless kindness. I found him to be very alert, intelligent, and wise. I was aware of his military duty, his spirituality, and community spirit. Even my 10 year-old grandson Vinnie remembers him with fondness for his kind words at my mothers funeral. My condolences, and those of Patricia Fisher, Gwen Fisher, Charles Fisher, and Vinnie Fisher go out to Alan’s wife and four sons.
My deepest sympathies to the Fisher Family. I enjoyed my time working with and getting to know Allen and June. God Bless..
I met Alan when I learned to play bridge and was invited to join a group at the American Legion. Alan was a fun bridge partner, but I do remember that I was playing against him when I got the best hand I’ve ever played! He was graceful in defeat 🙂 Alan used to re-set the room we played bridge in for meetings the following day. I, being the youngest member of the group, felt it was wrong to not assist moving chairs and flags, so I got to spend a little extra time with Alan. He taught me about American Legion traditions and flag etiquette. I always enjoyed our chats and the education. Our bridge group underwent some changes and I lost track of Alan, so I haven’t seen him in many years. I used to walk in the Oak Hill Cemetery and always thought of him as preparations were made for patriotic remembrances. Alan, you have positively touched so many lives and I am grateful that I am one of those. We will all miss your presence here very much.
I worked with Alan a number of years with the Legion Baseball Program and he very dedicated to the youth programs in the Legion. He will be missed. Rest in peace Alan.
Mr. Fisher was a thoughtful and caring man a true American Patriot. He was also a great friend to my parents Karl and JoAnn Kappelman. My deepest condolences to his family.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Fisher family at this sad time. Mr. Fisher was always so kind to Pam and all of her family. My parents always spoke highly of Mr. Fisher as a honorable man with high integrity. Pam told me of his last moments in this life. You boy’s are, were, and will always be his pride and joy. Love to you all.
My deepest sympathy to the Fisher family. So many wonderful memories of Dad and how kind he always was to me. Dad was an amazing man and a loving father-n-law. Mom, my heart and prayers are with you today.
I was very saddened to hear of Alan’s death. Alan was a dedicated worker in the American Legion, in restoring the name of “Liberty Memorial” to the middle school building which was named in honor of the nineteen Lawrence High School students who died or were killed in WW1, and in researching and writing a book about the history of the Lawrence American Legion, the great baseball teams sponsored by the Legion, for which Alan was both a player and a coach, and recording the history of Lawrence in each war in which America was involved. Alan proudly rode in the Veterans Day parade on November 11, 2018, wearing his army uniform.
Alan was a dedicated, honorable man who worked to better the lives of Lawrence youths, and to remember the great history of Lawrence. His contributions will live on.
So thankful he made it home to say goodbye to Aunt June and you, Kent, and Mike. Now he is with our Lord and all who have gone before him, happy, healthy and free. Sending love to you all.