Final Promotion Granted at Age 104

Robert Lawrence Fischer was born in Hoboken, NJ on March 6, 1906.  He spent his early years there with his Mom and Dad and older sister Trudeau.  His Dad was the manager of the New York City Chemist Club.

As a boy, our Dad developed a love for ham radio.  In the early 1900’s he put together his first crystal radio set which was a gift from his mother. At 16, Dad became the youngest member of the American Radio Relay League, which proved to be the focus of his later life as a Radio Engineer.

During his high school years, Dad attended the Peekskill Military Academy.  He spent the summers with relatives on Long Island pursuing his other favorite pastimes — fishing and baseball! After his mother passed away when Dad was only 17 years of age, the family moved to Larchmont, NY.

At the age of 24, Dad joined the Naval Reserves as a Radioman 2^nd class.  It was during these years that he began a hardware business that grew to three stores in the Scarsdale area of New York.  He was once the proud owner of a 1932 Chrysler Roadster.

When World War II broke out in 1940, Dad was called to active duty and promoted to Navy Ensign. He served during the war as an electronics engineer in the 8^th fleet located in the Mediterranean, serving in Algiers, Casablanca, Naples and southern France. He was responsible for setting up the communications for the Yalta Conference with Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.

When Dad returned home from the war in 1945, his best friend George Bisset encouraged him to come to Oneonta, NY for a visit. It was here that George introduced Ruth Dean to Dad on a blind date. After a whirlwind courtship they were married 1 ½ weeks later in Grafton, West Virginia, Mom’s hometown.  Dad was 40 and Mom was 31.  Immediately after the wedding, Dad left for his assignment in Oakland, California, at the Naval Shipyard there. Mom had to stay behind for several months to collect war stamps to be able to make the cross country trip to meet back up with Dad.

Their honeymoon consisted of a cross country trip from California back to New York in 1946. The following year, Larry was born, and 18 months later along came Alan.  At his point, Dad was stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard.  The boys became the center of mom’s world.  They even wore outfits Mom made for them from Dad’s old uniforms.

In 1950, Bob was born and our family headed for Houston, Texas, where Dad was assigned for duty. There are wonderful memories of these days as the Fischer family grew. In 1955, Dad was promoted to Commander and was transferred to Washington D.C. as the Assistant Director of the Shore Electronics Division of the Bureau of Ships. It was here that Dad retired in 1962 after spending a remarkable 32 years in the Navy.

The crystal radio set given to him by his mother charted the course for his life.

Our family moved into their new home in what was then the rural area of Fairfax, Virginia. This became their true family home for the next 50 years.  These were special years with lots of wonderful memories.

A most important, life-altering event came in 1960 when our Mom was introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ by a 5-year-old boy in her Sunday School Class. She had been in church all her life, striving to serve and please God by her good works, but without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and the acceptance of His death on the cross as forgiveness for sin.  In the weeks that followed, that little boy’s mother, along with her pastor, Ed Carmichael, showed Mom how she could have a personal relationship with Christ.  Dad’s decision to become a Christian followed several weeks later and both were baptized in May of 1960.

Dad continued working after his retirement as a civil engineer until his mandatory retirement at the age of 70.  It was at this point in their lives that they were introduced to Shaklee nutritional supplements, and they began a new business venture which continued for the next 30 years.  Together, they achieved the rank of coordinator, a position in the company that Dad held until the age of 100. Dad also held many positions at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, Virginia where he and Mom were active members for 40 years.

Dad and Mom never started a day without having their quiet time together.  They would read the Daily Bread and scripture and then pray around the world for their children, grand kids, missionaries and friends that they had made over the years. They prayed especially that God would allow them to be a witness in all they did.  They were always ready to give an answer for the hope that they had found in Christ!

Soon after his beloved Ruthie passed away in 2001, Dad finally agreed to hand over the keys to his car and sell the family home in Fairfax.  He moved out to their cottage at Shiloh Farm in Nokesville, Virginia to be cared for by his loving family.

Dad never stopped working and planning ahead for what he would do next!  He never stopped learning and growing as a person. At the age of 101 he was taking golf lessons! His zest for life was contagious, and many of us, many years younger, often had to struggle to keep up with him!

Dad was a pioneer, inventor, patriot, business owner, church member, and a faithful, loving and supportive husband and father. His final days were spent doing what he liked best when he could — working outside, riding the tractors and enjoying the peace and tranquility of the farm.

On April the 21^st, 2010, at the age of 104, God called Dad into His eternal Home, surrounded by his loving family in the place where he had found such great contentment and joy.

Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Submitted to honor the life of a man who left us all a legacy of faith and faithfulness, our earthly father, Robert L. Fischer.

Larry, Alan and Bob Fischer
July 2010