Jack Carroll Fisher

Jack Fisher, 93, of Livingston, Montana, passed away at his home Saturday, November 20, 2021. He was born August 29, 1928, to Clyde and Leona (Markley) Fisher in southwest Wisconsin. During the midst of the great depression, the family moved to Ellensburg, Washington, where Jack was raised on a ranch spending many days farming with horses and rounding up cattle in the Cascade mountains each fall. Jack graduated from Ellensburg High in 1946, where he played football, basketball, and track. That fall, his parents moved back to Wisconsin and bought a dairy farm. After one winter in Wisconsin, Jack went back to Ellensburg to attend college with his friends. With WWII being over, he was unable to find work, as the veterans deservedly got all the jobs. He was unable to finance his way to college, so he returned to Wisconsin and the dairy farm. He did not like milking cows. While there, he met a neighbor girl, Joanne Knutson. They were married September 3, 1949, in the Catholic Church in Montfort, WI. Jack and Joanne took the train to Minneapolis where he went to a Railroad Telegraphy School, and after graduation, he went to work for the Milwaukee Road as an Agent-Telegrapher. During this time, he was drafted into the Army and served two years from 1952-1954. After his time in the service, he returned to railroading. In 1960, he was promoted to traveling auditor and was headquartered in Iowa, and later Minneapolis, where he took accounting and auditing course at the University of Minnesota. In 1963, he was promoted to chief traveling auditor in Chicago. He, Joanne, Denny (then 5), Danette "Netty" (then 2) moved to the suburbs. He later became the internal auditor manager. While in Chicago, he took courses in management at the University of Chicago. There, he was continually active in church affairs, serving on the finance committee during the time they were building a new church, rectory, grade school, and convent. Jack did not like working in the city and commuting and being in the office everyday supervising 24 auditors. He resigned from the railroad in the fall of 1965, and he and the family bought a fishing and family resort on a large lake in northern Minnesota. There again he was regularly active in church and civic affairs. He served as the Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce President. After 7 years at the resort, they sold and moved to town to be nearer to schools where Denny and Netty were involved in sports and music. Jack went to work as a Deputy Sherrif and purchased a motel in town. Eventually, Jack wanted to get out and about again, so when Denny graduated from high school and enrolled at St. John's University, Jack, Joanne, and Netty moved to Livingston and bought the Del Mar Motel. They sold the motel September 1986 and retired. He and Denny hunted elk each year. They bought a home east of town on the Yellowstone River. In retirement, Jack and Joanne traveled the world, going to Egypt, Spain, and Morocco, as well as fishing trips to Alaska and Canada. They bought a home next to the dam on Fort Peck Lake, to be nearer to visit Ted, Netty, and the grandkids. They enjoyed walleye and salmon fishing and spent every other week there. After a few years, they sold their place and bought a place in Casa Grande, Arizona, where they spent 3 winters. Jack loved his family and played with his grandchildren every chance he got. He was very generous, and spent his life helping people in need, both financially and spiritually. He and Joanne were constant companions. He was a member of St. Mary's parish, Knights of Columbus, and the American Legion. Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Leona, and a sister, Virginia. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Joanne Fisher; son, Dennis (Sheri) Fisher; daughter, Netty (Ted) McIntyre; grandchildren, Layne Fisher, Rylee Fisher, Millie Jo (Riley) Bennett, Mitch (Cathryn) McIntyre; great-grandchildren, Silvy Bennett, Gidian Bennett, Charley McIntyre, Paxton Bigler, Ryder Bigler; sisters, Shirely Olson and Gloria Wesowlowski of Wisconsin, and Mary Sams of Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.Mass of Christian Burial in honor of Jack will be held at 11:00am, Friday, November 26, 2021, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Livingston, Montana. Burial at Calvary Cemetery will immediately follow the service, after which all are invited to a luncheon back at St. Mary's in the school gym. For those wishing to make a contribution in Jack's memory, the family requests memorials be sent to St. Mary's Catholic School, 511 S. F Street, Livingston, MT, 59047. Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.