Thomas E. Fischer

September 26, 1939 ~ October 15, 2022 (age 83)

As Thomas Eugene Fischer of Wausau, Wisconsin laid on his Aspirus hospital bed at age 83, the imaging technician completing an ultrasound on his heart said, “Tom, you have a uniquely placed heart.”  The next morning at 6 am on October 15 as he lay sleeping, it suddenly and unexpectedly stopped. Which completed a lifetime devoted to a way of living and loving that touched everyone who knew him.

Tom was born on September 26, 1939 in Racine County in Caledonia, WI to Mike and Viola Fischer. He was the youngest of 7 children:  Doris (Eugene) Clazmer, James (Delores), Marjory (Helmuth) Becker, Charles (Tures/Cannan), Mildred, and Robert (Judy). He began his education at St. Mary’s in Kenosha through grade 12 where he was an outstanding athlete, playing baseball and basketball, and helping lead the Knights to a berth in the 1957 State Catholic Basketball tournament. At the St. Mary’s graduation breakfast, he was named the Most Popular Student in which the award said, “He was a friend to everyone and an enemy of none.” This continued throughout his life.

After high school, he attended UW-LaCrosse from 1957-1961 where he graduated from the School of Education with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Social Studies. Here he met the love of his life, Merrillyn Tracy at a campus dance. Tom and Merrillyn dated throughout their years at college and were very active in campus ministry through the Newman Center. They were married on August 12, 1961 at St. Mary’s Czestochowa Church in Milwaukee. He began his first teaching job in Kenosha at St. Joseph’s High School from 1961-64, where he taught social studies and coached football, basketball and track.  In 1964 Tom started a job at Tremper Senior High School where he taught social studies and coached football and basketball through May of 1967. After several years of work, he went back to earn a Master’s Degree in Administration at Roosevelt University of Chicago, and a Specialist’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Milwaukee.  Then in the fall of 1967, Tom became the Head Basketball coach and Athletic Director, and later the Dean of Students at Dominican College of Racine through 1971 where the Lakers surprised many by sharing the Gateway Conference title with Lakeland in his first year.  The Lakers were also selected to play in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoffs in his last three seasons there.

In the fall of 1971, Tom became the principal of Clintonville Senior High School and continued there for the next 14 years. During these years Clintonville had great success in developing its academic programs and athletic success. Tom treasured having his four kids attend the high school as “Truckers”, plus he and Merrillyn also enjoyed chaperoning the high school trips to Washington D.C. and New York, giving impromptu history lessons along the way. Tom attended St. Rose Church where he taught confirmation classes and became the Church Board President.  During these years, Tom and Merrillyn began their hobby farm as well, where they had huge gardens, raised beef and showed horses through the Northeastern Appaloosa Horse Club circuit. Tom was very involved in his children’s athletic activities, bringing them into the gym for lessons and coaching Babe Ruth Baseball in which their team won the league championship in 1978. About this time, he was influenced by Leopold’s Sand County Almanac and MacQuarrie’s, Stories of the Old Duck Hunters, sharing with his kids his lifelong love of the outdoors. Tom and Merrillyn took their family at first to their Bayfield County Shack, which had only the basics but allowed them the opportunity to focus on teaching the best lessons on fishing bluegills, hunting grouse and spending time together as a family. Later, they spent much time at their Pickerel Lake trailer and hunting deer at his Spirit River Lodge shack.  Tom was often teased that he hadn’t harvested a deer in 30 years but built the most successful stand on the property. His original stand that he shared with others was the place many relatives had their first successful hunt.

After Tom’s youngest child graduated from Clintonville, he became a principal at Wausau West High School in 1985 through 1990.  Here he initiated the Advanced Placement Program for the Wausau School District, and defended West High School’s unique flex mod scheduling philosophy. In 1990 he went on to become the assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and served as Interim Superintendent for 18 months helping to bring calm to an unsettled time period around the issue of partner schools.  Tom retired in 1996 stating to the newspaper that “Wausau was a good place to end my career.  An absolute great place to be for education.” He was a vibrant leader, one that was kind, fair and well-respected. He tried to bring out the best in people throughout his entire career.

Devotion was a theme in Tom’s life – to his family, education, students, friends and especially to Merrillyn. To his children and their husband and wives he was their anchor, their friend and a source of wisdom and advice. Tom also truly loved his grandchildren and their spouses, and four great grandchildren, attending their activities, cheering them on and coaching them through life.  Several of the grandchildren would note that anywhere we go, grampa knows someone. He taught them to take interest in others’ lives whether you knew them or not, and he also taught them to see the positive in even the bleaker moments. He was a devoted friend and neighbor, especially to the breakfast coffee group who would pitch in and help each other out in their many projects and bs sessions. Throughout their marriage he was devoted to making Merrillyn happy. For example, he loved to go to musicals with Merrillyn and turn around the next day and go fishing with her all day long. That commitment continued right to the very end when Merrillyn battled Parkinson’s disease with Lewey body dementia. In retirement you could see it with he and his brother Bob building a vineyard and making wine. He developed a passion for genealogy and wrote six books on family history that have become historical staples for many of his relatives across the nation.  He loved sharing campfires with neighbors and friends, and a cribbage game with anyone who was willing to play.

You see the imaging technician was correct, Tom had a uniquely placed heart that put his faith in his Creator first, the joy of others second and himself last.  He had a big laugh, a big smile, a big voice and a big heart. 

Tom is survived by his siblings Marjory, Charles and Robert.  His four children Mike (Elizabeth) Fischer of Wausau, Mathew (Dawn) Fischer of Plover, Tracy (Patrick) Hopkins of West DePere and Kevin (Joan) Fischer of Waunakee. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Benjamin (Lisa), Timothy (Cathi), Mackenzie (Mitch), Shannon (Jackson), Katherine, Andrew, Samantha, Max, Halle and Casey as well as 4 great grandchildren Arya, Logan, Leah and Eliana. Tom is preceded in death by his wife Merrillyn, his parents Mike Fischer and Viola Burr, and his siblings Doris, James, and Mildred.

The funeral Mass will be directed by The Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home and held at St. Matthew Catholic Church of Wausau on Saturday, October 29. The officiant will be Father Robert Thorn. The visitation will begin at 9 a.m. in the Angelorum of St. Matthew followed by the service at 11:30 a.m. The service will also be live-streamed on the St. Matthew’s Website. A luncheon will be served immediately after the mass at the St. Matthew’s school cafeteria. The internment will take place immediately after the lunch at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery near Mosinee. In lieu of flowers, please consider a check to one of the following organizations Tom supported: The National Park Foundation, The Salvation Army of Wausau and The St. Joseph’s Indian School.