Frances Elizabeth Fisher

Passed Away on January 17, 2020

Frances Elizabeth Fisher passed away January 17, 2020 following a lengthy illness at Friendship Village Healthcare Center. Born March 11, 1924 in Massillon, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Leda Lillian (Albrecht) and Chester Arthur Potts.

She grew up in Massillon and Youngstown. When the family later lived in Lakewood, Ohio, she was valedictorian of her middle school and graduated with honors from Lakewood High School. Her favorite high school activity was singing in the madrigal ensemble. She wanted to attend college, but family finances were limited because of the Depression.

When she was 16, Fran would meet her future husband of 62 years Wilbur “Bill” G. Fisher at Faith Lutheran Church in Lakewood where both families attended. When she was 20, they married on November 18, 1944 two weeks after Bill returned home from England. Bill, a commissioned 1st Lieutenant, was a WW II B-17 pilot who flew 33 missions with the 398th Air Force over Europe.

Fran and Bill moved to Phoenix in 1955 with their two children Gail and Bill. Fran volunteered at her children’s schools, Phoenix Baptist Hospital and her church. Once her children went to college, Fran worked as a receptionist at Thunderbird Bank. Later she processed small business and student loans for the bank.

Fran and Bill eventually moved to Tempe where Fran volunteered at the Tempe History Museum, TCArt Shop at the Tempe Center for the Arts and Performance with a View. She always enjoyed meeting people and being helpful. She was an avid reader all her life—especially history and biography, loved music, enjoyed going to the movies, playing pool, biking, tennis and swimming.

Fran was cheerful, optimistic, humorous and loving. She deeply cared for her family and will be sorely missed. Fran profoundly affected her children and many others throughout her lifetime with her openness, generosity and encouragement.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bill; brother Chester Vernon Potts and her sisters Margaret Lillian Mikkila and Alice Jean Gross. She is survived by her daughter Gail (Mel Kessler); son William “Bill” G. Fisher; sister Carol Ann (Potts) Dickey; 11 nieces and nephews; 18 great nieces and nephews; and 11 great-great nieces and nephews.

Services are Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at 10:30 a.m.at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 2085 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe, 85282. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in her name to Friends of Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281; Hayden’s Ferry Chamber Music Series 1517 E. Calle de Caballos, Tempe, AZ 85284; and King of Glory Rudd Memorial Fund.