Obituaries

Phyllis Fisher

Photo of Phyllis Fisher
Phyllis Fisher, 88, of Hot Springs, died on April 28, 2012, peacefully in her sleep. She was born in Medford, Massachusetts on December 20, 1923, second daughter of DeMelle and Mildred (Holman) Garey. She was married to Colonel Coy Fisher who predeceased her in 2007. As a young woman, she traveled through Europe after World War II returning to the states to enter the professional world as a nurse for 16 years, then turning to her passion for social work. As a pioneer in the employee assistance program area, she focused on alcoholism and addiction services. Of special note, she developed the first Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Policy for employees of Ford Motor Company worldwide. She was an instructor at the University of Detroit, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of California, Berkeley; teaching Counseling of Alcoholics and Their Families and Community Responses to Alcoholism. In retirement, she joined the Peace Corps where she continued her caring for others through serving as a Consultant to Division of Mental Health in Honduras in areas of Prevention and Treatment of Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies. She traveled for work and for pleasure, visiting 45 different countries. She was on all the great rivers of the world yet loved the Amazon Basin best. Phyllis took up residence in Arkansas at the Hot Springs Village in 1992, enchanted by the gorgeous green trees, beautiful hills and blue lakes. She was drafted out of retirement to counsel as a social worker for the Arkansas Employee Assistance Program. She is survived by her sister Barbara, and husband, Richard, Moody of Andover, Massachusetts, and her brother, DeMelle, and wife Marion, Garey of Peabody, Massachusetts. She is predeceased by her sister, Priscilla Nelson of Wiscasett, Maine. She will be missed by her many nieces and nephews, but especially by her niece Pat Anderson of Tucson, Arizona with whom Phyllis shared daily phone conversations. She will be remembered by many friends and especially missed by her best friend Bill Foggo. In honor of Phyllis' faithful membership, Holy Eucharist and burial rights will be held at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 199 Barcelona Road, Hot Springs Village on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 199 Barcelona Road, Hot Springs Village, Ark. 71909. Guest register at www.grossfuneralhome.com.

Published May 2, 2012

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