Donald Lee Fisher

Donald Lee Fisher, Plainville, passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2021 at Hays Medical Center at the age of 84.

He was born in Coweta, Oklahoma on February 6, 1937 to Boyd and Amy (Bryan) Fisher. He was united in marriage to Mary Ann (Moeder) Fisher on June 11, 1960 in Hoisington, Kansas at the St. John’s Catholic Church. The couple was blessed with four daughters: Melanie, Mindy, Michelle, and Melissa.

Donald grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from Coweta High School in 1955. Following high school, he spent a semester at OSU. He then went into the military where he was stationed in Germany. After his honorable discharge in 1962, he returned to Kansas to work in the oil field.

He worked for ARCO Oil Company for 40 years where he was a Fieldman among many other titles. He was also a faithful member of the Plainville Knights of Columbus where he served as Plainville’s Grand Knight for four years, and the Bishop Cunningham Faithful Navigator for two years.

Donald was an avid outdoorsman with much of his time being spent hunting, fishing, and gardening. He went on many hunting and fishing excursions with his friends, including Father Grennan and Ronnie Wise. Once they could no longer go, his grandsons stepped up and continued the tradition with Donald. He made many memories during his time outdoors and he enjoyed retelling these stories to his family. He also spent time with friends playing Pinochle multiple times a week. He loved to cook and would make his famous grilled chicken, always with a cocktail preceding the meal.

Donald loved testing his luck at the Cripple Creek Colorado Casino with his wife of 60 years.
Family was immensely important to Donald. Some of the fondest memories of him include chopping down trees for their annual Christmas fire, and the countless fires that he would make at his home. He was very proud of that fireplace. Another much loved family tradition was making sausage every Christmas. Don also never forgot a birthday and would sing, “Happy Birthday” through the phone—even though he was tone deaf! He would give all his grandkids a dollar bill whenever they left his house. What started out as a foreseen treat from grandpa, became one of the family’s fondest memories of his giving nature.

Donald was loving and caring towards everyone he was around. His huge, outgoing personality shined through him. Whenever you saw him, there was certainly a story to be heard with many laughs to follow. He was also very black-and-white when he needed to be, very sure of the way things should be done, after all…something worth doing is worth doing well. Always serving others with a heart and soul that knew and trusted his Lord and Savior, his loss will leave a place in the hearts and lives of family and friends no one else can fill. However, he leaves a collection of memories and precious times shared—true keepsakes of our hearts that will remain forever.

He is preceded in death by his daughters, Melanie Nelson and Michelle Fisher; parents, Boyd and Amy Fisher; and siblings, Felix Fisher, Maxine Houser, and Verda Chartier.

Left to cherish Donald’s memories are his wife, Mary Ann Fisher of the home in Plainville; daughters, Mindy (Larry) Flenniken of Tulsa, Okla., Melissa (Joe) Dreher of Oberlin; siblings, Steve (Pat) Fisher of Coweta, Okla., and Jane (Sonny) Simpson of Coweta, Okla.; seven grandchildren: Tanner Nelson, Tyler Nelson, Lauren Bird, Joseph Flenniken, Jordan Dreher, Dayton Dreher, and Adam Flenniken; and eight great-grandchildren, Khloe Nelson, Tabor Nelson, Thaniel Nelson, Tilly Nelson, Lanie Bird, Lexie Bird, Brooke McKittrick, and Daxten Dreher.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be on Thursday at Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home in Plainville from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., and then at the church from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. with a Vigil Service and K of C Rosary at 7 p.m. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Plainville.

Memorials are suggested to Sacred Heart Catholic Grade School in Plainville and may be sent in care of the funeral home.