Thomas E. Fisher, of Niles

Published 5:20 pm Thursday, August 6, 2015

May 10, 1949 — Aug. 2, 2015

Thomas E. Fisher, 66, of Niles, died at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, while visiting with his wife at the home of a relative in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His death was unexpected but of natural causes

Thomas E. Fisher

Thomas E. Fisher

He was born on May 10, 1949, in Dowagiac, Michigan to Drexel and Kathryn (Gaideski) Fisher. He was graduated from Dowagiac High School, and earned an Associates of Applied Science degree from Southwestern Michigan College. He served in the United States Army, and was a Veteran of the Viet Nam Era. He was employed for many years by Collision Repair Systems in Osceola, Indiana.

Tom was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles. He enjoyed working in his garage, where he could repair everything, and maintaining his 1957 Chevrolet. He also enjoyed outdoor activities including his vegetable garden, mushroom hunting, fishing, and camping — usually at Free Soil, Michigan. He loved his dogs, Maggie, Monk, and Ben; and will be well remembered for his humor, always quick, and usually sarcastic.

On July 31, 1999, at Saint Mary Catholic Church he married the former Donna Lee Neville with whom he just celebrated the sixteenth anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Donna Fisher and children, Suzette (Steven) Messenger of White Pigeon, Michigan, Brian (Kelly) Fisher of Kapaa, Hawaii, and John Stokes of Grand Rapids, Michigan; grandchildren, Lindsey, Sara, Cory, and Erin; a niece, Angela and nephew, Robert.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his sister Leilani Pond.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Thomas Fisher will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015, at Saint Mary Catholic Church by the Rev. Alphonse Savarimuthu, MSFS of the parish. The Mass will conclude in the churchyard with Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Monday from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with recitation of The Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Contributions in memory of Tom may be made to Pet Refuge.

www.halbritterfunerals.com