William Fisher Sr., a retired Gardiner police officer who dedicated his life to family and serving the community, died Tuesday at home watching TV in his favorite chair. He was 72.

Mr. Fisher, of Hallowell, was remembered by his family Thursday as a positive and thoughtful man who rose above many challenges and lived life with purpose.

Mr. Fisher graduated from Richmond High School in 1962 and joined the Air Force. He served two tours in Vietnam and was honorably discharged.

He worked as a patrol officer for the Gardiner Police Department for more than 15 years. His daughter, Laurie Fisher of Cumberland Foreside, said he loved police work. She said he was a kind person, recalling his interactions with residents.

“He loved people. He was a people person,” his daughter said. “His purpose in life was to serve people and be there for his family. That’s what kept him going, despite all the challenges he had through his life.”

Family meant everything to Mr. Fisher. When he was 7, his father died and he took on the role as man of the house. In his later years, Mr. Fisher took care of his mother, who died in 2010 at age 92. He beat cancer and overcame heart issues and a stroke. He also took care of his brother, who died in 2014. His brother’s death hit him especially hard, his daughter said.

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“He tried to be so strong for me,” she said.

In his obituary published in Friday’s newspaper, Mr. Fisher was described as a “humble, compassionate and fair man with a dry sense of humor and a common-sense approach to life.”

His daughter reminisced about her childhood Thursday, recalling the times they would dance together. She said he was a great father and role model.

“Sometimes it was the things he didn’t say that were more powerful than the things he said,” his daughter recalled. “He would often say, ‘I’m not going to tell you what to do, but here are your options.’ He gave me complete autonomy to find my own way, but he was there guiding me, making sure I didn’t go completely off the path.”

Mr. Fisher worked as a courier in his later years.

In 1996, he married his third wife, Jill Fisher. She said Thursday he was a loving and caring husband.

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“I’m going to miss him a lot,” his wife said, sobbing. “We had so much love in this house. We talked about everything. We had a good marriage. I’m blessed to have had the years I did with him.”

Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.com

Twitter: MelanieCreamer


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