Posted by Newspaper Transcriber on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 23:02:08 :

Therese Marie Fischer

On her 95th birthday on March 24, a nurse asked Therese Marie Fischer her secret for a long life.

According to Mrs. Fischer's daughter, Catharine Farrell of Santa Rosa, Mrs. Fischer thought for a moment and then smiled and replied, "Caring, loving and" as she held a fist in the air, "fighting for what you believe!"

The answer was characteristic of Mrs. Fischer, a petite 27-year Coastside resident who worked hard at what she believed in, which was education and literacy, causes she furthered on the Coastside.

Mrs. Fischer died April 3 at the Pacifica Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, due to natural causes at 95.

She was born March 24, 1911, in Lead, S.D. and in 1939 married her husband Carl Michael Fischer, with whom she had three children. They divorced in 1970.

In California, she earned a bachelor of arts degree with distinction from San Jose State College in 1966 and followed it with a master's degree in education from the University of Oregon in 1970.

She worked as a special education teacher in the Los Altos school district from 1966 to 1976, when she retired. In 1979, fulfilling a dream to live by the ocean when she retired, she came to the Coastside.

She was not idle in her retirement. From 1985 to 1991 she tutored in and directed the Coastside Adult Literacy program. She served on the board of directors of the community-access Mid-Coast Television from 1990 until shortly before her passing. She was a member of the Friends of the Library with the Half Moon Bay Library and served as its vice president from 1991 to 1993.

She was also active with the local branch of the American Association of University Women, which named her Woman of Excellence in 1987 and with which she served as the vice president of education from 1989 to 1991. She was also active with the AARP.

And she stayed active in education. She tutored special-education students in her home from 1976 to the mid-1980s. And she has been listed in the seventh-edition Who's Who in American Education.

"My grandmother has of course been a role model for her kids and grandkids," said

Mrs. Fischer's granddaughter, Christina Frahm, "but it's been a wonderful discovery how important she has been to so many people in this community."

Mrs. Fischer later told friends that her years on the coast were the happiest time in her life. She loved travel, reading, clothing design and living by the ocean.

"She loved to look at the sea when it was full of energy," said Mrs. Fischer's daughter.

Mrs. Fischer is survived by her sons, Michael L. Fischer of Mill Valley and John C. Fischer of Bishop, and her daughter Catharine Farrell of Santa Rosa. She is also survived by grandsons Steven and Zane Fischer and Brendan Farrell and granddaughters Christina Frahm and Joy Fischer, and great-grandchildren Teresa Frahm and Jenna, Ryan and Alec Fischer.

A celebration of Mrs. Fischer's life is being planned, and ideally will be scheduled in the month of May.

Half Moon Bay Review and Pescadero Pebble, Wednesday, April 5, 2006