Obituary of Edward Meredith Shives Fisher

Born August 23, 1923 in St Patrick, Quebec. Died December 22, 2012 in Sackville, New Brunswick. Ned Fisher passed quietly and peacefully at home in the late afternoon of Saturday, December 22nd, sitting beside the Christmas tree having his afternoon tea. He was a huge fan of good dark fruitcake, soaked in his favorite Myers Dark Rum. His wife and life companion of 62 years, Valda (MacLeod) Fisher was at his side. They met during the wartime in England when he was in the Canadian Army and she was a Wren in the Royal Canadian Women’s Naval Service. He is predeceased by his parents Evelyn Meredith Fisher and Donald Shives Fisher and his sister Ann (Fisher) Boulton of Montreal. Ned lived most of his life in Sackville, NB, attending the Mount Allison Academy for his early education. At the age of 12 he went off to Bishop’s College School in Lennoxville, Quebec, following in the footsteps of his father and maternal grandfather. During WWII, Ned joined the Canadian Army. He first received basic training and advanced training as a private and then was recommended for officer training. Ned served as an officer in the Canadian Army both in Canada and the UK in the Armoured Corps. Later he converted to Infantry to serve as a Platoon Commander in the UK and Holland with the West Nova Scotia Regiment, participating in the Liberation of Holland. His children would coax him to tell them bedtime stories of his “adventures” from that time. His wartime service was always important and significant to him. After the war, he pursued his education at Sir George Williams and Mount Allison University. He then came into the family owned business ” The Enterprise Foundry Company Limited” where he worked for more than thirty years, developing new products and a sales/distribution system that covered Canada from coast to coast. During the 1970’s and early 80’s, Ned was president of the company. In 1983, Ned and his son, Malcolm, formed a new company, Compact Appliances. This has become a wholesale distributor throughout the Atlantic provinces of the latest types of supplementary heating products. The things he enjoyed most in life were working, his family, friends, travels to warm places and riding motorcycles. At age 85, when he was taken to the hospital after a serious motorcycle accident, the nurses nicknamed him “Evel Kneivel”. For years, summer holidays have been enjoyed at St. Patrick where 7 generations continue to gather with extended family and friends. The “old cottage” at Rayworth Beach has provided many an annual lobster feed to celebrate Ned’s August 23rd birthday complete with numerous dogs, children and grandchildren. He was always easy to buy a gift for as he adored every imaginable maple product. Ned Fisher has been a contributing, engaged citizen and was known as an “old school gentleman”. He was President of the local Children’s Aid Society and a member of the Board of the Sackville Memorial Hospital, serving as president of that Board for several years. He was always a respected member of the Sackville community. He helped form and build the Sackville Curling Club in the late 1940’s. He served for a period of several years on the Endowment Fund Committee at Mount Allison University under President Bill Crawford. Nationally, he was an active member of industry organizations, serving as President of the Canadian Manufacturer’s Association and as a Board member of Canada Cement Lafarge. He has been a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #26, Sackville. The family are grateful to Ned’s care-giving team of Pat Cormier, Ann Brooks and Doreen Beaton for their friendship and gifts of delicious “spare-rib” dinners, afternoon drives and discussions over the last seven months. The family most sincerely thanks Dr. Allison Dysart for his care and attention. The Sackville Memorial Hospital nurses, staff and kitchen crew have all given above and beyond in so many ways to provide him with care and comfort. Ned is survived by his wife, Valda Fisher and three children: Meredith Fisher, Mollie Flemming (Jim) and Malcolm Fisher (Debbie). His grandchildren are Robin (John Buckler) and Ted Walker, Faith and Andrew Flemming, Abby, Max, Mari, Zack Fisher. Henry and Ned Buckler are his two great- grandchildren. He has one niece, Diana (Boulton) McNeill (Duncan) and her daughter, Kristin McNeill (Andy Churchill) of Montreal. Funeral arrangements are with Campbell’s Funeral Home in Sackville, NB. (506) 364-8188. There will be a visitation at the funeral home on Wednesday, Dec. 26th from 7-9 pm. The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch#26, will hold a memorial service at the start of visitation at 7 pm. The Funeral Service will take place on Thursday, Dec. 27th at St. Paul’s Anglican Church at 11 am with the Revd. Canon Kevin Stockall officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation, The Lord Sackville IODE, Sackville Red Cross Society or the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.