Claire Fisher

Claire J. Fisher

July 4, 1929 ~ April 8, 2020

Claire J Fisher, 90, passed away April 8, 2020 at his residence in Legacy House Assisted Living in Farmington, Utah.  He returned to his Heavenly home of natural causes due to age, peacefully and surrounded by family.  Claire was born on July 4, 1929 in Oxford, Idaho to Albert Lee and Selma Matilda Olson Fisher.  He was blessed to be born, the seventh of ten children, into an eternal family that included seven brothers and two sisters.  He kept a very close friendship with all of his siblings and helped to watch over and care for his parents while they were alive.  He, along with his siblings, started the Annual Fisher Family Reunion held each year in July at the old homestead in Oxford, Idaho.  He attended Westside High School and lettered in baseball and basketball.  He loved playing sports and was quite the athlete.  At age 19, he was called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New England states mission under the direction of President S. Dilworth Young.  He was one of the last missionaries for the Church to serve without “purse or script”.  He loved his service in the mission field and spoke of it often.  Following his missionary service, Claire started School at BYU and was a member of the ROTC where he graduated with honors as Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.   During his time at BYU, he met the love of his life, Iliene Lucile Myers.  They were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 21, 1951.

Upon graduating from BYU in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, he and Iliene moved to San Antonio, Texas to start flight school at Lackland Air Force Base.  During their time at BYU and flight school, they were blessed with four children, Cathy, Kent, Teresa and Lee.  He became a flight instructor for the B25 Bomber and the T33 Jet. Claire loved to fly.  He often shared the story about flying low over his hometown of Oxford to “rattle” the roof tops as a signal for his father to pick him up at Hill Air Force Base.  Claire developed his love for teaching as a flight instructor for the United States Air Force.  He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in 1958 and returned to the Ogden, Utah area.

Over the next several years, he and Iliene were blessed with two more children, Diana and Julie.  He started working for the Webber Realtor group but soon decided that he wanted to go back to school where he received his Master of Education Degree from BYU.  Later, he secured an administration position in the Ogden School District.  He was a coach and teacher at Central Junior High School, Vice Principal at Washington Junior High School, Principal of Ogden High School and Principal of Highland Junior High School.  He served in multiple church callings including: Branch President in Enid, Oklahoma, Bishop of the Ogden 45th Ward and Stake President of the Ogden Canyon View Stake.  In 1988, Claire and Iliene were called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to labor in Sierra Leone West Africa.  They were one of two couple missionaries to open this area and were honored in preparing the way for future missionary work.  They were surprised and excited to learn of the announcement of the Freetown Sierra Leone Temple and to learn of the growth in that area since their mission.  Following their mission to Africa, he and Iliene served as Conference Center ushers in Salt Lake City for many years.

Having grown up on a farm, Claire loved to work outside and was quite the handyman.  He was a hard worker and shared his knowledge of fixing things with his children as he helped them at each of their homes.  He was known in the neighborhood as the master gardener where each year he would grow fruits and vegetables.  During this time, he helped to teach his children the meaning of hard work as each of them would take turns pulling weeds, pruning trees and watering plants.  Claire and Iliene would spend hours bottling the fruits of their harvest to enjoy throughout the year and to share with family and friends.  However, his greatest joy in life was his wife, children and grandchildren because family meant everything to him.  Claire loved the Lord. His testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ, was evident by his example of love and service to others throughout his life.

He is survived by his sweetheart of 69 years, Iliene Lucile Myers Fisher, and by his children: Cathy Jan (Brad) Montierth, Kent Jay (Marilyn Smart) Fisher, Teresa (Joel) Dickson, Albert Lee (Kara Shaum) Fisher, Diana (Dennis) Maisey, and Julie (Kenneth) Chugg.  He is loved by his 25 Grandchildren and 74 Great Grandchildren.  He is also survived by James Reed Fisher, brother and Elaine Selma Allen, sister.  He was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers, one sister and one great grandson.

The immediate family will hold a special prayer service at the Lindquist Mortuary, Ogden Utah, April 13, 2020, followed with the Interment at the Ben Lomond Cemetery in North Ogden.

Military Honors will be accorded.

Order Video Slideshow