DR. JOHN A. FISHER
Died Nov. 3, 2017
Dr. John Apfel Fisher passed away Nov. 3, 2017. He was 92 years old. John grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was the son of the late Dr. Charles Asbury Fisher and Elsa Apfel Fisher.
He is survived by his devoted wife, JoAnn, of 60 years, his loving children, Alison (Michael) of Blue Bell, Pa., John of Greenville, S.C., Eric of Raleigh, N.C., and Bruce of New York, N.Y., and seven grandchildren, Austin, Alex and Evan Fisher, Angela and Julian Schwartz, Jenna Fisher and Armen Manis Fisher. John was preceded in death by his brothers, Eugene Charles Fisher, Dr. Joseph Vincent Fisher and Paul Moore Fisher. He also leaves behind a loving nephew, nieces, a cousin and many friends.
John graduated from the University of Michigan. He studies were interrupted by World War II where he served active duty in the U.S. Navy. John received a medical degree from Drexel University (Hahnemann) School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. Following his internship, Dr. Fisher served in the United States Army Medical Services as a 1st Lieutenant and was stationed in Bamberg and Frankfurt, Germany where he developed a keen interest in pediatrics. After his military service, John was assistant chief pediatric resident at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia where he met his future wife JoAnn.
John and JoAnn moved to suburban Philadelphia and John established a pediatric practice in Paoli, Penn. He became a diplomate in the American Board of Pediatrics and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. After almost 20 years of practice, John pursued the second phase of his career in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service, assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C., serving as Chief of Pediatric Services at the base hospital and clinic. He retired from the Air Force in 1985 with the rank of colonel.
John's post military career included work at the O'Berry Center as chief of medical services and later at the Walter B. Jones Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Greenville, N.C. He recalled his years helping patients with substance abuse as some of the most fulfilling and rewarding periods of his career. He joined the American Society of Addiction Medicine and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Governor's Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse. In this role, he spoke at many conferences and seminars on chemical dependency, and for many years he lectured at East Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Fisher continued to pursue his interest in chemical dependency issues and accepted a position at Carolina Care Center in Goldsboro, a private substance abuse outpatient clinic. His final employment was at Waynesborough Psychological Services where he treated children and adolescents with mental and behavioral problems. John retired in 2008.
Dr. Fisher immersed himself in volunteer work on mental health issues in the community. He joined the Wayne County Mental Health Association and was elected president in 1998. During his tenure as president he organized and directed a depression screening program in the school system. This program was able to identify many children and adolescents with depression, recommend appropriate treatments and conduct seminars to inform the public about mental health issues.
Dr. Fisher received the Mental Health Associations highest awards, the S.B. McPheeters Award for outstanding board member and the Dr. A.H. Zealy Award for most outstanding volunteer. During Dr. Fisher's presidency of the association, the Wayne County Mental Health Association won the David W. Hardy Award given annually for the most outstanding association in the state. Dr. Fisher received the Governors' Award for outstanding volunteer service and the Human Relation Award for the City of Goldsboro. He served on the board of directors of the Flynn Christian Home, a halfway house for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol problems. He served on the board of directors of Eastpointe Human Services for many years.
Dr. Fisher was a member of the Goldsboro Kiwanis Club and more recently a member of the Golden K (Kiwanis) Club. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister and was a 4th Degree member of The Knights of Columbus. His hobbies through the years have included tennis, bridge, playing the piano, reading historic novels and current events and exercising at the Goldsboro Family Y. Dr. Fisher and his wife JoAnn have enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, touring many other countries and taking family beach and mountain vacations. His greatest loves were his wife, children and grandchildren. He will be remembered for his compassion and wonderful sense of humor.
There will be a memorial service at Seymour Funeral Home on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, at 10 a.m. (formerly announced at 11 a.m.) in the chapel with Deacon Webster James presiding. Following the service, family and friends are invited to the Fisher Home in Goldsboro.
Donations can be made to Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of St. Mary Catholic Church, 1000 N. Jefferson Goldsboro, N.C. 27530 or your favorite charity.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on November 7, 2017 8:05 AM