Barb Fischer

Intelligent, enthusiastic, and vibrant, Barb Fischer lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. A woman who embraced every moment as a gift, Barb led with her heart and lived each moment to the fullest. Whether tending to her family, serving her country, or opening her home to others, Barb was unwavering in her devoted support of those she so dearly loved. Mother, wife, grandmother, chief bottle washer, and cook, Barb was fiercely loyal to her family and a friend to all. A powerful role model for all who were blessed to know her, Barb will long be remembered and so dearly missed.

Despite the obvious gloom of the growing conflict in Europe, 1939 held much to celebrate, including the end of the Great Depression, the premieres of the classic films Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, regular television began to broadcast nationwide, and the World's Fair in New York. As the U.S. actively armed up for war, families continued to center their lives on love and hope for a brighter future. Nowhere was that hope more evident than in the hearts and home of James Terrance "Ted" and Cecilla Magdeline (Busch) Riordan as they welcomed their daughter Barbara Louise on December 7 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The sixth of the eleven Riordan children, despite the twenty-year age gap, the oldest and youngest Riordan children, Barb, grew up in the comforts and good company of her siblings. Her six brothers shared one large bedroom, while the five girls shared two. Barb's father was a farmer and automobile manufacturing laborer, while her mother devoted herself to caring for her children and the home, which was rooted in their Irish and German ancestry and traditions. The family belonged to St. James Catholic Church, where they attended Sunday Mass together and enjoyed traditional holidays with extended family and many camping trips.

Raised on the family farm on Lake Michigan Drive in Grand Rapids, which was complete with chickens, cows, and pigs. Though she liked to care for the animals, Barb struggled because she hated animal smells and complained about sharing a bed with her sister Char, who loved to ride horses. She did enjoy raising a runt piglet its mother had abandoned. She named it "Billy Grunt Grunt," and she loved that piggy. Sadly, one day, her father slaughtered it to provide meat for the family.

Barb attended Delaney Elementary School and graduated from Union High School in 1958. She loved swimming and relished day trips to the beach with friends. She also loved twirling baton, gardening, and cleaning the house. Barb was a terrific cook who loved putting on amazing holiday feasts that included 12-14 home-baked pies for dessert. She was also a Detroit Tigers baseball fan. Extremely gifted with art, organizing, decorating, and designing, Barb loved fashion and shoes.

While in grade school and swimming at Richmond Park Swimming Pool, Barb first met William "Bill" Fischer, her spouse-to-be. Later, Bill agreed to a blind double date with his friend, whose date wanted to bring her girlfriend, Barb. The double date was a success, and Barb and Bill dated on and off throughout high school. There was no other girl for Bill but Barb, and they were a couple throughout Bill's Citadel years. The couple married right after his graduation on June 9, 1962, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Grand Rapids and honeymooned in Bear Lake, Michigan.

Four days into their marriage, Barb officially began her first service to her country as a military wife, and it was non-stop from there. Over the course of Bill's 25-year military career, Barb never wavered in her support and contributed greatly to his career. Single-handedly moving 15 times in and out of different states and countries, Barb's duties as an officer's wife, which required following strict protocols, included planning and hosting teas and luncheons, attending formal military functions, teaching etiquette to new officers' wives, keeping her household pristine, while raising five children.

Barb and Bill made their first home in Oklahoma, before the newlyweds moved to Fort Benning, Georgia, in August. In September, Bill went to Kaiserlautern, Germany, and Barb returned to Grand Rapids. In February of 1963, when Barb was seven months pregnant, she joined Bill in Germany. While living in Kaiserlautern the happy couple were blessed to welcome their first three children to their family: Cyndy, Pam, and Chuck.

In 1965, when the children were just two, one, and two weeks old, the family moved to Oklahoma. Son Scott was born after the family returned to Grand Rapids on July 12, 1966, Bill's birthday. Two weeks later, Bill went to Vietnam, while Barb and the kids stayed in Grand Rapids, where they had support from nearby family.

After Bill safely returned home in 1967, the family moved to El Paso, Texas, where their son Todd was born. A legendary family joke was that there was a child every year, straight, except the year Bill was in Vietnam; the kids list themselves as Cyndy, Pam, Chuck, Scott, Vietnam, and Todd.

In 1969, the family moved to Washington, DC, when Bill was assigned to the Pentagon. In 1972, when Bill was sent back to Vietnam, Barb returned to Grand Rapids, where she raised the children, ages 4-9, for a year in his absence. It was during this time that Barb's daughter Cyndy had the same fourth-grade teacher as her mother: Mrs. Vandermullen!

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, was the family's home in 1973, and from 1974 to 1977, the family lived at West Point, New York, where Barb helped mentor Cadets. From there, the family moved to Fort Ord, California, where they lived until 1980 when they moved to Belgium as part of S.H.A.P.E. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe). Barb became a "SHAPE Mom" who had an open-door policy for all friends of her children. These "SHAPE kids" loved her as their own mothers, and even to this day, 45 years later, hold her in the greatest regard.

In 1983, the family returned to the U.S. and lived at Fort Sheldon, Illinois, until they made their final move back to Grand Rapids in 1986. Though the family moved often, Barb worked tirelessly and meticulously to make the changes as painless for her family as possible and to make each place a home. As a result of her dedication, "home" for her children was not a location but the family that they were; her children came to think of their mother as "home," not a place. Barb's children were always clean, nicely dressed, well-behaved, and polite; she was very proud of them.

Barb enjoyed many things, including music, reading, sweets, and holidays. Her favorites included Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Doris Day, and Christmas music, especially Drummer Boy. She liked reading magazines about cooking, designing, fashion, and gossip. Pies, cookies, ice cream, and Bailey's Irish Cream were at the top of her favorite sweets list, and she went all out with food and decorating for holidays. She was a wonderful cook whose pies, cookies, roasts, mashed potatoes, and gravy were unrivaled. Her attention to detail ensured everyone had a good time and included carefully chosen gifts and meticulous nameplates. She loved her collection of Lladro and Hummel figurines, Swarovski Crystals, and Dickens Village pieces.

Barb wrapped her entire life around her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. For many years, vacations were trips home to Grand Rapids, then later to the family cottage. She was very involved in and determined that her children would receive a great education; she was very proud that they are all college graduates. Her children's happiness was her happiness; her children's losses and fears were hers. She considered her children her greatest success, and Bill was the love of her life.

As we celebrate Barb's beautiful life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy of love, devotion, and loyalty forward. In each moment we confidently face life's challenges, encourage our loved ones' endeavors, mindfully create a sense of home for others, share a home-baked pie, spend the day at the beach, and gather with those we love we keep Barb's memory alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Barbara Louise Fischer, "Barb," age 85, passed away in the comfort of her home in Hudsonville, Michigan, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, with her loving family by her side.

She was born in 1939 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the late James and Cecilia [Busch] Riordan.

Along with her parents, Barb was preceded in death by her grandson Ryan Fischer, as well as by eight of her siblings.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 63 years, Colonel William "Bill" Fischer, and their children: Cynthia, "Cyndy" Fischer, Pamela, "Pam" (Mark) LaBaere, Charles, "Chuck" (Virginia) Fischer William, "Scott" (Roni) Fischer and James, "Todd" (Ann) Fischer. She is also survived by her thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and by her brothers, Terry (Eldine) Riordan and Rick (Paula) Riordan.

She and Bill were married in 1962 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church and remained active members for many years. They were also members of Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish and St. Pius Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church (2230 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504) at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 23, 2025. Friends may meet with Barb's family for visitation at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt-Shawmut Chapel on Thursday, May 22, 2025, from 4:00-6:00 PM, as well as at church prior to the service beginning at 10:00 AM.

Barbara will be laid to rest in Rosedale Memorial Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to the Ryan Fischer Legacy Scholarship at RyanFischer.org.

To sign Barbara's guestbook and share a memory or condolence message, please visit www.heritagelifestory.com.