Mary Fischer

July 4, 1937 - February 14, 2021

Mary Fischer, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend,
left a huge void in the lives of those who knew and loved her when she passed away
unexpectedly from respiratory arrest at the age of 83.

Mary was born on the 4th of July in Boise, Idaho to Helen and Jerome Auer who
then moved to Denver, Colorado. Mary was raised on the front range of the
Colorado Rocky Mountains. During her youth she developed a life-long love of
hiking and skiing. She met her husband and partner in adventure, Albert Fischer
at the University of Colorado-Boulder. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in
Mathematics (1959), she moved with Al (a Professional Civil Engineer working with
Caltrans) from job to job, living in a travel trailer and making it home for the first
two of their four children. When the job brought them through Carson City in
1962, they fell in love with the small town and made it their home. Together, Mary
and Al built Cottonwood MHP off Arrowhead Drive where they raised their four
children and grew their business.

Mary was very proud of her years leading Girl Scout Troop 264 (1965-1977). From
camping and backpacking in the Sierra Mountains, to rafting the Rogue River, to
hosting a National G.S. event (Sierra Stomping 77’) she enjoyed sharing her love of
the outdoors with her ‘girls’. She gave every endeavor her absolute all – with high
standards, a warm heart and a helping hand when needed. She even received the
Triumphant Honoree Award from the Girl Scouts.

Not many knew, but Mary was afraid of water (the irony of this statement will be
made clear). When she was afraid (often on family boating excursions) if she had a
camera to look though, it calmed her (even when the camera held no film – which
was often the case). Thus developed another passion of Mary’s, photography, which
she enjoyed and pursued until her death. She especially loved black and white
landscapes.

It was in the early 80’s that Mary and AL bought SUNSHIP and spent the next 20
years cruising and living on the sailboat. They sailed from Alaska, south through the
Panama Canal, the Caribbean and up the Northern Seaboard. Mary learned to the
love the water (with many photographs to show for it). She became a certified Scuba
Diver while in her mid 60’s and loved diving in Belize and the warm waters of the
Caribbean. Mary and AL would often moor the boat to travel where the boat could
not, such as driving up the Alaskan Highway (summer and winter), backpacking the
John Muir trail, or home and see their growing family.

Upon returning home to stay, Mary became active in the community when she
learned that the freeway bypass though Carson City had no landscaping planned.
Mary (a Master Gardner) was the force behind a grass roots movement to bring
Landscaping and Art to the freeway corridor. GROW (Gardeners Reclaiming Our
Waysides) was formed in 1997 an occupied Mary’s time and focus for 14 years.
Among the numerous awards she and GROW received over the years, she was so
humbled when the CC Chamber Board of Directors included her among the “10
exceptional women who have been – and will continue to be – important in the
history of this city” – the 2020 Carson City Women of History recognition.

While looking forward to more travels, adventures and meeting her first great
grandson, Mary’s life ended. Mary is survived and will be missed by her loving
husband, Albert, daughters Susie Henne (Todd), Kathy Williams (Mike), sons Paul
(Carin), Peter, and grandchildren, Kristi (Scott) Jackson,
Kaylie (David) Goss, Logan & Natalie Williams, Nick and
Katie Fischer, her great grandson Aiden Goss, and her
two sisters in Colorado Carole Woodbury and
Joan Knudsen.

A funeral and celebration of life will
be held later this year. If it is in your
heart, please donate to a cause that
you are passionate about in
Mary’s memory.