Frederick Fischer

Frederick Clyde Fischer, 94, of Zillah passed away on August 2, 2023. Fred was born in Ronald, Washington on July 25, 1929, to Clyde and Alice (DeWolf) Fischer. He grew up in Roslyn along with his siblings Frank (Jay), Phil, Christina, Sandra and Priscilla. He was an avid outdoorsman and had fond memories of camping in the Cascades and picking huckleberries with family. His grandma Lankins had a deal with a Greyhound bus driver to deliver the berries to Ivar’s in Seattle to be made into pies. As a youth, he enjoyed spending time at his grandma’s farm on Taneum Creek near Thorp where he and his brothers learned to drive a tractor. This was just one of the many fun and interesting childhood memories Fred enjoyed sharing with family and friends. He graduated from Easton High School in 1947 and from Central Washington State College in 1954 with a degree in education. While in high school he started a trucking business with his brothers. They bought a 1928 Ford truck and rebuilt it in the high school shop. They negotiated several contracts for local delivery and pick-up but had to have their mom sign for them since they were not yet 18. By the summer of 1948, they were working full time hauling coal all over the Kittitas and Yakima Valleys. Over the next few years, they bought more trucks and added produce, wheat, hay and timber hauling to the business. They, also, enlisted additional family members to help with the driving. In 1954 Fred was called up to serve in the Army. Upon returning home in 1956, he started a teaching position in Toppenish. In 1959 he bought a little fruit ranch on Lucy Lane in Zillah where he lived for the rest of his life. Fred married Patricia Rankin on July 18, 1959, and they raised their four children on the farm in Zillah. He was very proud of the accomplishments of his children, nurtured by his and Pat’s continuous support and encouragement. During his teaching career, he taught middle school history and social studies and was a positive influence for many of the students that came through his classroom. In his retirement, he often ran into former students, now in their 50s and 60s, who still remembered Mr. Fischer as a mentor. Fred opted for an early retirement from teaching in 1982 so he could devote himself full time to the farm. He grew apples, cherries, and grapes. Some years he ran a few head of cattle and raised alfalfa. Every year, he and Pat planted an ambitious vegetable garden. He continued gardening into his 90s. He was particularly successful at growing butternut squash and donated thousands of pounds of produce to local foodbanks. Fred was active in the Buena First Baptist Church and served as the treasurer for many years. Friendships formed at the church were at the center of his social life and many of his closest friends were fellow members. He spent many hours volunteering at the Yakima Valley Rail and Steam Museum where he enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm for railroad history. He really enjoyed being part of their Toy Train Christmas event each year where he would display his model trains. He and Pat were very active members of the Garden Club, the Zillah Seniors Club and the VFW. Fred was preceded in death by his wife Patricia in 2018. He is survived by his children Ruth (Craig) Fischer-Wright of Portland, OR; Robert (Jane) Fischer of West Seattle, WA; Eva (Steve) Lorenz of Bellevue, WA; and Sandra (Keith) Wells of Santa Cruz, CA; grandchildren Chris (Emily); Emily (Mary) and Andrew (Brenna) Wright; Megan (Rob) Kolton; Brandon (Abbey) Fischer; Alex (Maddie) and Isabel Lorenz; Conner and Aidan Wells; great grandchild Olivia Kolton and his sister Priscilla (Don) Parmentier of Yakima. He is also survived by a large number of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 11 at Valley Hills Funeral Home, 607 2nd Ave., Zillah, WA. Lunch reception will follow at the Zillah Civic Center. Graveside service to be conducted at 3:00 at the Roslyn New City Cemetery for those who would like to attend. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Yakima Union Gospel Mission (donations@yugm.org) or the Zillah Food Bank. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Frederick Fischer, please visit our flower store.