Jean was born at home in Ashley, Ohio on September 8, 1935, to Ollie Jerusha (Mayhew) Wilson and Luther Moore Wilson. She was the sixth of seven siblings in her family, growing up in rural Morrow and Crawford Counties, where her father was a sharecropper farmer.
Jean was a 60+ year resident of Pataskala, Ohio, with previous residences in Sulphur Springs, Bucyrus, Kettering, and Hebron, Ohio. She was a 1953 graduate of Sulphur Springs High School, where she was athletic, a sharp student, and member of the National Honor Society.
After their initial arranged double date at a square dance in 1956, Jean Wilson married Elvin David Fisher on February 9, 1957, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sulphur Springs, Ohio. Their family of six included four children who all grew up and attended schools in Pataskala. Before marriage, Jean had a job at the telephone company, and later, Timken in Bucyrus. After becoming a full-time housewife and mother, she held several leadership roles in her Pataskala community. She was a Room Mother, a Cub Scout Den Mother, a 4-H Advisor, President of the WMHS Athletic Boosters, Welcome Wagon Hostess, and Election Worker. Jean and Elvin were active members of Messiah Lutheran Church, several square dance clubs, camping clubs, participants at the Reynoldsburg Senior Center, and were worldwide travelers. They visited every continent but Antarctica.
Jean played in the handbell choir at church for 25 years. She was skilled at sewing, upholstering, macrame, and wood carving. Her skills also included journaling her many trips with photos and writings, and archiving family history and events with photo albums, genealogical research, and documentation. Her frugal lifestyle was reflected in her thriftiness at garage sale finds and thrift store purchases. She had a love of music, liked to watch TV game shows, and enjoyed all things centered on family. She was one of the “Wordle Turtles” (a family group who did the daily Wordle puzzle) and enjoyed Facebook social media platform. She was an avid player of cards, dominoes, word games, trivia, and board games. Fearless at other competitive activities, Jean water skied until she was 79, and she was the winner of the 84 Lumber Company’s Paul Bunyan contest for both nail-driving and crosscut sawing in her category.
Topping the list of skills she was best known for was food preparation of all kinds. Her holiday spreads were legendary. Jean and Elvin tended a home vegetable garden most years, and foraged for wild blackberries and morel mushrooms in season. She canned, froze, and preserved her garden/orchard harvests, and fresh food surplus items from others. But it was Jean’s cooking and baking skills that were most remarkable. Her pie baking, cookie making, cake baking & decorating were admired and consumed by family and friends. If you were at her house for breakfast, you might get a smiley face pancake. She had an extensive collection of cookie cutters, and even created her own family cookbook of favorite recipes, complete with photos, for each of her children and grandchildren.
Jean had a witty sense of humor, with a willingness to engage in pranks and silly behavior. She had a way with words, was a stickler for spelling and grammar, had an amazing memory, and exhibited creativity and craftsmanship in many of her projects and themed events. Her heart exhibited love and hospitality for family and friends, and she will be missed beyond measure.
Though she mostly went by the name Jean, she had other endearing monikers: Wilma Jean, Jeanie Babe, Geenie-gal (by her nicknaming Uncle Albert), Mushroom Mama (her CB handle), Mama-san, Mammy, Grandma-hawsie, Gaba, Grandma Jeanie, Bammaw, and Mrs. Fisher.
Jean is survived by her beloved husband of 67 years, Elvin David Fisher; four children, Denise Jean Fisher, Bexley, OH, Tysons Corner, VA, & Norfolk, VA; Dennis Elvin (Jan) Fisher, Canal Winchester, OH; Deanna Jean Fisher O’Connell (Cary Hager), Dublin, OH; Denita Jean Fisher (Dr. John) Sutter, Springfield, OH; 14 grandchildren – Jarrett Everett Fisher-Forester, Zachary Adam (Heather) Fisher, Joshua David Fisher (Kaleigh Neer), Katelyn Ann (Kyle) Combs, Austin Luther (Melissa) O’Connell, Jaimee Michelle (Kevin) Fahy, Maxwell David O’Connell (Jessica Kinzeler), Elizabeth Jean (Joshua) Donegia, Ian Richard Sutter, Aidan John (Brittni) Sutter, Adelaide Lucille Sutter, Estan Dennis (Eloise) Sutter, Martha Evangeline Sutter, Sara Ollie Sutter, and 15 great-grandchildren – Logan Michael, Scarlett Grace Fisher, Sirrus Arlin Inskeep Neer, Echo Sage Truth Fisher, Aro Cove David Fisher, Ava Marie Combs, Felix Anthony Combs, Freya Charlotte Combs, Dempsey James Fahy, Wilson Robert Fahy, Quintessa Jean Donegia, Sherwood Elvin Donegia, Lawrence Scott Donegia, Antigone Lucille Donegia, Reshy, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Luther Moore (Ollie) Wilson, siblings, Lewis Dixon Wilson (Mildred), Gladys Uree Wilson Arnold (William), Haskell Mack Wilson (Alice), Gerald Ross Wilson (Lois), Donald Ellis Wilson (Martha), and Carol Ann Wilson Graham (Wilbur), as well as great grandson, Calvin John Donegia.
Visiting hours are Monday, June 17, 4-8 pm, and Tuesday, June 18, 9:30-10:30 am, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1200 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Funeral services will be held at the same location at 10:30 am Tuesday, with Pastor Karl Hanf officiating, and music by Tyler Driggs. Procession and burial at Pataskala Cemetery, 9545 Creek Road, Pataskala, OH 43062 immediately following. A luncheon and reception of guests will be held back at the church fellowship hall, after gravesite service. Friends and family are enthusiastically implored to honor Jean with their attendance. Memorial contributions may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church.
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