Roll Call Tribute
Alfred Fischer Sr. '42 January 21, 2015 10:13 AM
Published in Shreveport (LA) Times from Jan. 21 to Jan. 23, 2015
Alfred Otto Fischer Sr.
Alfred Otto Fischer, Sr.
Alfred (Al) Otto Fischer, Sr., 96, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2015. He was born October 25, 1918 at Fischer Store, in the hill country of Central Texas. He was an Eagle Scout as a boy, and established and led a Sea Explorer post as an adult.
He graduated from New Braunfels High School in 1937 and, after serving for a year and with support from a local benefactor, he enrolled at Texas A&M College (TAMC), class of 1942, in a five year two degree (Mechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering) program. He was a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and played the sousaphone in the famous Fighting Texas Aggie Band. His college career was interrupted before the final year by WWII, and as a Texas A&M Corps of Cadets student he received a commission in the United States Army as a second lieutenant.
Al was sent to Officer's Training School at Ft. Sill, Texas, and then to artillery school at Ft Washington, Md. Because he was fluent in German (having spoken it since birth), he was transferred from the Artillery Brigade to the Intelligence Service and sent to Miami for hands-on training and to assist the Spanish language censors with their English translations. There he sat next to the woman who, after a romantic correspondence during the war, would become his wife of nearly 56 years, and with whom he would raise four children.
He was sent to Oran, Algeria, then followed the Allied Forces to Italy, France, and finally to Germany where he was stationed when the war ended.
Immediately upon his return to the US he was discharged as a Captain in the US Army and on November 17, 1945 married Marguerite Diaz (Marge) Fischer. (Marge later became well-known in Shreveport as a feature writer and columnist for the Shreveport Journal). They raised four children and were married until her death in 2001. Initially they settled in Bryan, Texas while he completed the requirements for his Degrees. He later qualified for the Professional Engineering certification in Texas and Louisiana in Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering.
Al was hired by Stanolin Oil, and he and Marge moved to Tulsa Okla. Their sons, Alfred Otto Jr. and Timothy Robert were born there. While working for Stanolin he was awarded patents for oil patch equipment innovations.
When the Korean War broke out he was recalled to service and stationed in upstate New York, then relocated to near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. After the war he rejoined Stanolin and moved to Houston, Texas. He formed a partnership and obtained a franchise from Macco, moved to Alice, Texas, and sold oil field equipment to clients all over South Texas. Alice was the birthplace of his eldest daughter Ann Victoria. After Alice he moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma continuing to sell for Macco where their youngest daughter, Julie Marie, was born. Al moved his family again to Houston, Texas to work for Parkersburg Rig and Reel (another oil industry company), then in 1960 settled the family permanently in Shreveport Louisiana.
In Shreveport he worked for AMF Beaird, retiring in 1973 to work for Sound Fighters, Inc. He then formed his own company with son Fred as partner, which eventually became Fischer Engineering Associates Inc. He retired for good in 1983.
Late in life he married Martha Ghio Fischer, who passed away in 2009. He was extremely fond and proud of his expanded family, which then included Martha's five children.
Big Al was preceded in death by wives Marge and Martha, his parents, Anna Leuders and Adolph Fischer of New Braunfels, sister Irene and husband Arno Bartels, and brothers Elmo and his wife Ruth, and Stewart. He is survived by his sister-in-law Myra Lea, and by his four children with Marge: Alfred Otto Fischer, Jr. (Fred); Tim Fischer and his wife Sheila; Victoria Fischer Faw and husband Stephen Faw; and Julie Fischer Thompson and husband Tommy; grandchildren Laura Thompson, Monica Morgan and Ryan Nordstrom, and great-grandchildren Tucker and Peyton Morgan.
He was also survived by the children of his marriage to Martha: Jimmy, Johnny, Martha (Tess), Betty, and Barney Ghio, and their spouses, children and grandchildren.
Big Al was an engineer, a carpenter, a world traveler, a rancher, a sailor and boat builder, a horse racing expert, a master bridge player, a proud Texas Aggie and a river boat gambler. He was also a writer and photographer who contributed to the Shreveport Journal, usually in conjunction with his wife Marge's columns.
His was a full life and a never-ending quest for adventure and self-fulfillment for himself and his family. He was active and engaged until the very end of his days. The family will celebrate his amazing life and big heart at a memorial service at The Oaks, where he resided during the last chapter of his life on. Please contact the family for the date and details.
Rest in peace, Big Al, you are missed.
Alfred Otto Fischer Sr.
Alfred Otto Fischer, Sr.
Alfred (Al) Otto Fischer, Sr., 96, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2015. He was born October 25, 1918 at Fischer Store, in the hill country of Central Texas. He was an Eagle Scout as a boy, and established and led a Sea Explorer post as an adult.
He graduated from New Braunfels High School in 1937 and, after serving for a year and with support from a local benefactor, he enrolled at Texas A&M College (TAMC), class of 1942, in a five year two degree (Mechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering) program. He was a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and played the sousaphone in the famous Fighting Texas Aggie Band. His college career was interrupted before the final year by WWII, and as a Texas A&M Corps of Cadets student he received a commission in the United States Army as a second lieutenant.
Al was sent to Officer's Training School at Ft. Sill, Texas, and then to artillery school at Ft Washington, Md. Because he was fluent in German (having spoken it since birth), he was transferred from the Artillery Brigade to the Intelligence Service and sent to Miami for hands-on training and to assist the Spanish language censors with their English translations. There he sat next to the woman who, after a romantic correspondence during the war, would become his wife of nearly 56 years, and with whom he would raise four children.
He was sent to Oran, Algeria, then followed the Allied Forces to Italy, France, and finally to Germany where he was stationed when the war ended.
Immediately upon his return to the US he was discharged as a Captain in the US Army and on November 17, 1945 married Marguerite Diaz (Marge) Fischer. (Marge later became well-known in Shreveport as a feature writer and columnist for the Shreveport Journal). They raised four children and were married until her death in 2001. Initially they settled in Bryan, Texas while he completed the requirements for his Degrees. He later qualified for the Professional Engineering certification in Texas and Louisiana in Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering.
Al was hired by Stanolin Oil, and he and Marge moved to Tulsa Okla. Their sons, Alfred Otto Jr. and Timothy Robert were born there. While working for Stanolin he was awarded patents for oil patch equipment innovations.
When the Korean War broke out he was recalled to service and stationed in upstate New York, then relocated to near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. After the war he rejoined Stanolin and moved to Houston, Texas. He formed a partnership and obtained a franchise from Macco, moved to Alice, Texas, and sold oil field equipment to clients all over South Texas. Alice was the birthplace of his eldest daughter Ann Victoria. After Alice he moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma continuing to sell for Macco where their youngest daughter, Julie Marie, was born. Al moved his family again to Houston, Texas to work for Parkersburg Rig and Reel (another oil industry company), then in 1960 settled the family permanently in Shreveport Louisiana.
In Shreveport he worked for AMF Beaird, retiring in 1973 to work for Sound Fighters, Inc. He then formed his own company with son Fred as partner, which eventually became Fischer Engineering Associates Inc. He retired for good in 1983.
Late in life he married Martha Ghio Fischer, who passed away in 2009. He was extremely fond and proud of his expanded family, which then included Martha's five children.
Big Al was preceded in death by wives Marge and Martha, his parents, Anna Leuders and Adolph Fischer of New Braunfels, sister Irene and husband Arno Bartels, and brothers Elmo and his wife Ruth, and Stewart. He is survived by his sister-in-law Myra Lea, and by his four children with Marge: Alfred Otto Fischer, Jr. (Fred); Tim Fischer and his wife Sheila; Victoria Fischer Faw and husband Stephen Faw; and Julie Fischer Thompson and husband Tommy; grandchildren Laura Thompson, Monica Morgan and Ryan Nordstrom, and great-grandchildren Tucker and Peyton Morgan.
He was also survived by the children of his marriage to Martha: Jimmy, Johnny, Martha (Tess), Betty, and Barney Ghio, and their spouses, children and grandchildren.
Big Al was an engineer, a carpenter, a world traveler, a rancher, a sailor and boat builder, a horse racing expert, a master bridge player, a proud Texas Aggie and a river boat gambler. He was also a writer and photographer who contributed to the Shreveport Journal, usually in conjunction with his wife Marge's columns.
His was a full life and a never-ending quest for adventure and self-fulfillment for himself and his family. He was active and engaged until the very end of his days. The family will celebrate his amazing life and big heart at a memorial service at The Oaks, where he resided during the last chapter of his life on. Please contact the family for the date and details.
Rest in peace, Big Al, you are missed.
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