Mr. John Anderson Fisher, 82, of Florence, passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at ECM Hospital.
Visitation will be at Elkins Funeral Home Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Phillip Skipworth, Rev. Ted Vafeas and Rev Peter Hawker officiating. Burial will follow in Greenview Memorial Park.
John, a native of and an Ambassador for Florence, Alabama, survived the deaths of six brothers and five sisters and their parents John Anderson Fisher and Tempest Beadle Fisher. With his death, the earthly life of those generations of his family comes to closure.
He retired from the Florence Parks and Recreation Department. He was a Baptist by faith and loved the Lord, family, big band music, history and geneology.
John is survived by his wife Gertrude Hannah Fisher, who was a faithful, caring, and loving friend for 55 years; a sister-in-law Elgenia Hannah, and a special nephew Jim Sadler. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and close friends. All his family knew John to be generous, encouraging, and fun-loving. He was respectfully and lovingly addressed as "Uncle John" or "Papa John". He often referred to his male friends as "Coach".
Nephews and great-nephews serving as pallbearers will be Paul Harbin, Ronnie Hannah, Andy Hannah, Eric Canaday, Jamie Vafeas, and Steven Skipworth. Honorary bearers will be George Chambers, Sam Futtrell, David Henn, Mike Wagoner, Jess Portwood, Steve Pierce and John''s coffee drinking friends from Jacks. . In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to the charity of your choice