John Merrill Fisher, 83, passed away peacefully April 23, 2018. Born April 18, 1935, to Robert Grady and Florence Evelyn Grimes Fisher in Paris, Texas, he grew up on a farm, loved to learn, and became an aeronautical engineer/designer for various companies. He was instrumental over the years in the development of several 20th century innovations, including electro-magnetic propulsion and the Global Positioning System, where the first thing ever located was a cow. He also designed the housing for the flight controls on the B2 bomber. His hobbies included golf, fishing and wood-carving.
John attended Bonham High School, where he played football and ran track; East Texas State Teachers College, where he ran track and participated in the ROTC program; and Southern Methodist University, majoring in Math. He met his first wife, Ruth Carroll in high school. They had four children: Joyce, John, Jesse and Arthur.
After their divorce, he met and married Anna Marie Ekren of Kensal, North Dakota. They had one son, Haakon. When John retired from Lockheed Martin, he moved his family from New York to Utah, to be closer to his other children. He built a house in Elk Ridge, where he passed away.
John was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Emma Louise Fisher Murley; and his dear wife Ann, in 2013, whom he missed every day, wishing he had the phone number for Heaven, so that he could talk to her.
John is survived by his five children and their spouses: Joyce Elaine Fisher (Randy) Gunther, John Montgomery (Alisa) Fisher, Jesse Frank (Celeste) Fisher, Arthur Quinn Fisher and Haakon Andrew Fisher; his brother, Grady Frank (Sandy) Fisher; his sister, Lois Evelyn Fisher; 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Special thanks to Maple Creek Home Health and Hospice Care, for their unwavering support and love, and Legacy Funeral Home for their help at this difficult time.
Memorial service is pending. When we do have it, we'll sing "Amazing Grace," his favorite song.
Thanks, Dad, for sticking around for one more birthday party. Rest in Peace.