Donald D. Fischer

Donald “Don” Dean Fischer, 71, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away peacefully after a hard-fought battle with cancer, surrounded with love by his family on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital.

Memorial Service will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at Schriver’s Memorial Chapel, Aberdeen, with Pastor Rodney Johnson of New Life Fellowship officiating. A time of fellowship and luncheon will follow the service at Schriver’s Memorial Fellowship Center.

Burial will be after the luncheon at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Monday, at the mortuary.  Visitation continues one hour before the service at the mortuary on Tuesday.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Don was born March 30, 1951, to Obed and Hulda (Koenig) Fischer and grew up working on the family farm North of Aberdeen along with his nine brothers and sisters. His education began in first grade with many long walks to the Ordway Country School and continued through 8th grade when afterward, he attended Simmons Junior High and Central High School, graduating in 1969.

After working for a short time in Minneapolis after graduation, he volunteered for service in the United States Navy and served two years on active duty assigned to the destroyer USS Leonard F Mason. After completing two Pacific tours during Vietnam, he returned to South Dakota as a proud veteran where he pursued his bachelor’s degree in Education at Northern State College and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion while remaining in the USN Reserves until he was honorably discharged in 1976. 

Shortly after graduating from college in 1978, Don moved to Denver where he worked with his brother as a manager for a franchise restaurant for several years and subsequently as an account manager for a large inventory service firm.  After living in Denver for over a decade, he returned to Aberdeen and put his talented abilities as a manager to work at Hogg Restaurant Supply, managing their distribution department.  He later accepted a position as the Assistant Manager for the Brown County Landfill where he worked until he retired in 2017. 

It was during this time that he discovered the love of his life, Maxine, and was married in 2010 at a large and joyous gathering of family and friends. After retirement, Don moved back to his family farm with Maxine and their frisky kitty, Boots, and employed his carpentry skills for endless projects. He often recounted that the peacefulness and quiet of the country brought him great joy throughout his retirement years. He relished in the solitude and was also very fond of the wildlife that flourished around their home.

Don was always an active person and enjoyed the outdoors for the pleasures of exercising and the spirit of adventuring.  In his earlier years, Don was an avid motorcyclist and together with a group of close friends who affectionately referred to their band of brothers as “the gypsies” wandered the countryside on endless motorcycle trips.  His life travels ultimately took him around the world and to many scenic places across the United States.  When at home, he belonged to several pool playing leagues over the years where he enjoyed playing in many local and statewide tournaments winning numerous times and enjoying the camaraderie these events brought with friends and family.  He was also a passionate tennis player and spent many hours playing tennis at the outdoor courts around Aberdeen and the indoor court on Main Street where his determination and competitiveness were always on display. 

Through these activities, Don developed a very large social network of friends and was known for his quick wit, sense of humor, and easy-going personality.  He was universally loved and maintained many of his relationships over the years with his childhood and high school friends.  Don will always be remembered as a devoted and adoring husband, beloved brother, and consummate friend to so many people.

Grateful for sharing Don’s life are his wife, Maxine; his siblings: Dorian (Susan) Fischer, Jim Fischer, Judy (Ron) Wells, Jane Fischer, Ron (Pat) Fischer, Rick (Cyndi) Fischer, Jannetta (Todd) Litzman, and Pauline (Larry) Brunmaier; 14 nieces and nephews and a large number of great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Obed and Hulda Fischer, his brother Randy Fischer and his great-niece, Taylor Fischer.

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