Fred Fisher, 72, passed away Thursday, July 29, 2010, at his home, while under hospice care, after a two-year battle with cancer.

Frederick Elbert Fisher was born to Elbert V. and Lauretta Ora (Merwin) Fisher on May 1, 1938, at Sisters' Hospital in Hot Springs, SD. He spent his entire life, except for college, on the family ranch, homesteaded in March 1909, eight miles west of Oelrichs.

Fred attended the Windy Hill School three miles east of the ranch all eight years of grade school with Grace Jordal as his teacher. He graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1956 and South Dakota State University in 1961 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, returning and working part time for the ASCS surveying fields mostly in Fall River County while operating the home ranch. He served a number of years as chairman of Fall River Co. Farm Bureau and was a member of the Crop Improvement Association.

On August 17, 1968, he married Dagmar I. Prautzsch, in Mitchell, NE, and together they raised three children, being active as 4-H Leaders, committee members of the Oelrichs Methodist Church, and Casey Family Program. For a number of years they took in foster children and hosted exchange students from Japan and Germany.

In 1972 Fred received the Outstanding Young Men of America Award, in 1987 he received the Fall River Conservation District Shelter Belt Award, and in 1992 the Pearl Clover 4-H Award for fifteen years of Service. Later Fred earned tree farmer of the year as well. He supported the Arbor Day Foundation and McCrossan Boys Ranch. He believed a person ought to leave a place better than he found it. For seventy-five consecutive years the ranch also produced hogs from home-raised grain. Over the years, natural beef, lamb, and pork found its way to dinner tables in three states. He found great joy in continuing the traditional family farm and being able to assist people with allergies to get a quality product. Fred truly loved the land and appreciated the details of nature from hearing a pheasant crow to watching the magnificence of a thunderstorm.

He is survived by his wife, Dagmar, of forty-one years; sons, William Fredrick (Bill) and wife Sara of New Lebanon, OH; Andrew Allen and wife Linda of Colorado Springs, CO, and daughter Carmen Renee, of Colorado Springs, CO; a sister, Edith, of Bristol, Fl., and numerous cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 10, 2010, at Prairie View Methodist Church, which is one-half mile east of the Smithwick turnoff on HWY #385 with Dr. J. Edwin Coates officiating. Interment will follow at the Horsehead Cemetery.

A memorial has been established in Fred's name to benefit the Prairie View Methodist Church Building Fund and may be sent to Dagmar Fisher, 13444 Lonewell Road, Oelrichs, SD 57763.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs. Written condolences can be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.