James Wilson Fischer

June 10, 1920 - March 22, 2021

James Wilson Fischer passed away peacefully on March 22, 2021 in San Mateo, California at age 100. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 10, 1920 and proudly called himself a “Hoosier” throughout his life. He always maintained his mid-western sensibilities and he was invariably described as a “truly fine man” by all who knew him. He graduated from Indiana University and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. As so many of his generation, he enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served for 4 years - 19 months of which he spent overseas in France, where he oversaw American ground fuel supplies, and in Okinawa in the Pacific. As was common for uniformed service members at the time, he was invited to a New Year’s Eve party in 1944 in New York City before shipping out. It was there he met Doris Moody and the two were engaged several months later. Jim and Doris were married in New York City at the end of 1946 after he returned from the war.

Jim and Doris’ daughter Ellen was born in 1949. As a member of the United States Army Reserve, Jim was called back in 1951 to serve with the German Occupation Forces. Doris and Ellen joined him there where the three of them lived in an apartment in Munich through 1952.

Jim began his career in 1946 at Anderson Box Company in Indianapolis, first in advertising, then as Credit Manager and ultimately as General Manager. The company merged with Inland Container Corporation and subsequently International Paper where he worked until he retired.

Jim loved being retired, saying it took about 15 minutes for him to make the adjustment. He darted around town in his red Triumph TR-3 convertible and he began his life-long ritual of taking daily walks. Jim loved to travel and enjoyed many multi-week trips to Europe with Ellen and son-in-law Stuart. He took these trips well into his 80’s. Destinations included France where they visited WWII sites and he was routinely honored and thanked for his service. They also visited Italy,

Germany, England, Scotland and Wales. For Jim, his life outlook wasn’t just that the glass was ‘half full’, but that it was ‘overflowing’. Doris passed away in 2006 and, after much encouragement, in 2010 (at age 90!) Jim himself decided to make the move to California to be near his daughter. While there, he proved the truism that “you can take the boy out of Indiana, but you can’t take Indiana out of the boy”. He continued to root for his Indiana sports teams (both college and pro) and watched the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race faithfully every year. He was thrilled that it was broadcast live on TV since he’d been forced to listen only on radio in Indianapolis where the television broadcast was blacked out.

At his home at The Peninsula Regent in San Mateo, he made a multitude of new friends. This was a very fulfilling period of his life as he readily jumped into many social activities, often in the company of his very special companion Judy Brush. There were Wine Fridays, the Speaker Series, cards with “the poker group”, dinners with Ellen and Stuart, Sunday brunch, time spent practicing his pool game, and holidays with his family where he perfected his secret Christmas morning French Toast recipe. And the list goes on and on ........ his was truly a long, welllived and well-loved life. He is already so missed.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Agnes Fischer and by his elder sister June. He is survived by his daughter Ellen and son-in-law Stuart Dudley.