Henry Fischer, Died Yesterday At Age of 90

Blair Resident For More Than Sixty Years. Well Known In County

Henry Fischer, one of the best known characters in this county, died Wednesday at 11:45 A.M. at the Blair Hospital where he had been a patient for the past three weeks.

Deceased was born in Germany on July 12, 1853, where he grew to manhood and was married. He received his early education in the mother country and learned the trade of cabinet maker.

Two children were born in Germany. The family emigrated to America about sixty-two years ago and came directly to Blair. He secured employment in the E. C. Pierce furniture and undertaking establishment where he followed his trade of cabinet maker.

He remained in the employ of E. C. Pierce as long as Pierce lived and then continued with the son, Stanley Pierce, until his death. For some time after this he conducted the business until it was sold to J. E. Campbell and then continued in the employ of Campbell.

During all these years he built up a large acquaintance and with his sterling qualities of honesty and his kindly disposition, these acquaintances became fast friends.

Something like fifty years ago, he purchased the eighty-acre farm south of Blair where the son, Frank, now lives and where for the past four years, he made his home. This place was his home and he was bound to it by ties which the thought of home brings.

Had he lived until July 12th, he would have been ninety years of age. His was a long life and a life well spent, a life that was always an example of real manhood.

Six children survive him – Frank, on the home place, Chris and Fritz of Blair, Henry whose residence is not known, Mrs. Henry Gehrke, and Mrs. Will Ruwe of this county.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2:00 p.m. from the Bendorf Funeral Home and interment will be made in the Blair Cemetery.

The pallbearers will be old friends of the deceased: John Moore, John Hansen, Walter Gutschow, Ed Grimm, Hans Grimm, and Frank Schafer.

#2 Printed in the June 17, 1943 Pilot-Tribune, Blair, Nebraska

Henry Fischer Rites Sunday

Veteran Blair Cabinet Maker Died Here Yesterday at Age 89

Henry Fischer, retired Blair cabinet maker, who would have observed his 90th birthday next month, died yesterday noon at Blair hospital, where he had been confined three weeks. Mr. Fischer had been ailing for several years.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bendorf Funeral Home, interment to be in Blair cemetery.

Resident of Blair more than 60 years, Mr. Fischer had lived on west Lincoln street near the Church of Christ for many years, but four years ago moved to the home of his son, Frank, near the Blair golf course.

Although confined to a wheelchair, Mr. Fischer kept abreast of local and world happenings, and had often expressed the desire to live long enough to see Adolf Hitler defeated.

Born in Germany

Mr. Fischer was born on the Rhine river in Germany in 1853. He and his wife, with their first two children, came to Blair in 1882 directly from the old country.

Mr. Fischer first worked for Ed Heinzerling at his harness shop here. Later he worked for the Fuller Harness shop, and in about 1883 went to work as a cabinet maker for the late E. C. Pierce, prominent furniture man and undertaker. For about half a century Mr. Fischer worked in the same location for Mr. Pierce and his successor, J. E. Campbell.

Mr. Fischer is survived by two daughters, Mr. Will Ruwe of Fontanelle and Mrs. Charles Gehrk of Kennard; and five sons, Chris, Frank, Fritz, John (“Whitey”) and Henry, jr. The latter has not been seen since he left home in 1900.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library~~~