David Charles Fischer

Brilliant business mind and Springfield founding father, David Fischer, passed on to his next chapter June 15th, 2024, at 6:15 in the morning following his valiant battle with the debilitating disease Alzheimer’s.

A devoted husband of more than 44 years to his wife Wanda, David had six children by his first wife, Margaret. Margaret preceded him in death in 1979. Their children: David (Cindy and children Samantha and Kyle), Deborah (Mike and children Chris and Patrick), Mary Catherine (Tom and son Sean), Pamela, Patricia (children Vincent and Nicolas), and Michael (Heather and daughter Ashleigh) survived him. David also raised Wanda’s daughter Juli (Len and children Rachel, Hannah/David, and Abby). In addition to his birth grandchildren listed, he was a devoted grandparent to an additional five step grandchildren (Adam, Daniel, Joseph, Kaleb, and Kaitlynn) His love and acceptance was a model of step parenthood for his entire family.

Mr. Fischer was born in Buffalo, New York on July 25, 1928, to Ester and Charles Fischer. He was the fourth of five children. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Ruth and Dorothy and brother Clarence. His sister Essie survives him. 

Following High School, Mr. Fischer studied drafting and lived with his oldest brother Clarence and oldest sister Ruth and her husband Russell while working as a draftsman for General Electric in Buffalo. After his marriage to Margaret, he relocated to Northern Virginia, where he started as a shoe salesman in Shirlington, Va. While there, he met Wally Stapleton, who would later become his store manager at Fischer Hardware. In the mid 1950s, he left the shoe business and began working with his father-in-law at Springfield Paint and Hardware. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Fischer bought out his father-in-law and changed the store name to the iconic Fischer Hardware, a beloved Springfield business for well over 50 years. 

Under his direction, the store expanded five times and was ultimately housed in what was once the Safeway grocery store across from Mike’s American Grill. Mr. Fischer had a staff of close to 75, and many employees worked for him for decades. Each of his children, his stepdaughter, and even some of his grandchildren had the opportunity to work at “the store”. 

The store sold in 2010. Evidence that its lasting success was a direct reflection of the sheer charisma and business acumen of Mr. and Mrs. Fischer was that the new owners could only keep it afloat - even using the name- for just over a year. 

The Fischers retired to Florida where they lived until 2020, when COVID encouraged them to relocate to a home they owned in Ohio across the street from Mr. Fischer‘s stepdaughter.

An avid sportsman, Mr. Fischer loved to fish and hunt in his earlier years. He graduated to snowmobiling and boating, eventually settling on sailing as his passion. His final sailboat was a 52 foot Irwin that he lovingly designed and piloted from Tampa, Florida to Solomons, Maryland in the summer of 1980, with the help of his brother, sister, brother-in-law, son, stepdaughter, and his always first mate wife, Wanda. 

To those lucky enough to have known him, he will be remembered as a gentle, caring, charismatic man who detested conflict and expected civility from and afforded civility to everyone he met. Funny and loving, he and his wife were the consummate host and hostess. He adored and spoiled his wife their entire marriage. Never apart, the two worked together, socialized together, traveled together, commuted more than an hour and a half each way every day together and loved every minute of life together. He will certainly be waiting for her on the other side - and she and the rest us will certainly be poorer for his absence from this side.

Services will be determined at a later time. 

In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated to be made in David's memory to either the Alzheimer’s Association or Ohio Valley Hospice.

Proverbs 112:4: “ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.“ (NIV)

To share a memory of David or leave a special message for family, please click visit the Guestbook below.