Joanne C. Fisher

Joanne Catherine Kane Fisher, 67, died of heart failure on Monday, March 21, 2022 at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, PA.

Joanne was born on August 25, 1954, in Philadelphia, PA, second child of Raymond Joseph and Joan Catherine (Flenders) Kane.  She was the widow of John James (Jack) Fisher, Jr. and is survived by her three children: John James Fisher III, Nicole Andrea (Robert) Fisher Kessler, and Brian Daniel (Darlene) Fisher; her siblings, Karen (Tom) Miller, Elaine (Joe) Hines, Ray (Tina) Kane, and Maureen (Gene) Olivant; four grandchildren, Sean, Nick, Kane and RJ and many nieces and nephews.

A lifelong resident of Upper Darby, PA, Joanne attended elementary school at St. Cyril’s Catholic School in East Lansdowne and high school at Archbishop Prendergast High School graduating in 1972.  

As a child, Joanne could always be counted on when something active and fun was involved.  She loved riding her bike, roller skating, flying kites, sledding (when there was snow on the schoolyard hill), fishing with her dad (ask us the fish hook story) and listening to her records on her little stereo record player.  As she got older, she also loved to read; Stephen King and Kurt Vonnegut were favorite authors.

Joanne also attended Delaware County Vocational Technical School for cosmetology achieving her operators and managers license before she graduated from high school.  She went on to student teach at Gordon Phillips Beauty School in Upper Darby after which she received her teaching license.  In addition to cutting the hair of most everyone she knew, Joanne put her skills to use at the salon at B Altman’s department store in St. Davids.

In 1976, she married Jack Fisher and they were together until Jack’s passing in 1989.  Joanne and Jack had three children John (1978), Nicole (1979) and Brian (1980).  With three small children and a husband who was a firefighter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Joanne became a bus driver for the Upper Darby School district giving her a work schedule that matched her children’s school schedule. 

Family meant everything to Joanne.  She loved her kids fiercely and she spent many hours at their sports activities and dance classes and recitals.   She had a group of lifelong friends (some of them from her elementary and high school years) and could be counted upon to keep track of the things happening in the lives of her many cousins.  Joanne had a heart of gold and was always ready to help.  In her young adult years, she volunteered at a blood donor center for leukemia patients at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital calling platelet donors and checking them in.  In later years, she was particularly caring of her elderly neighbors, Ms. Gloria and Mr. Mike, whom she took to many appointments when they were unable to drive. 

As Joanne’s health declined in recent years and given the COVID climate, she was not out and about very much, but you would often find her posting prayers or funny items on social media.  Her quirky sense of humor will definitely be missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit the family on Monday, March 28, 2022 from 9:00-10:00 AM at St. Philomena Church, 41 E. Baltimore Avenue, Lansdowne, PA and to her Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM.  Interment private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joanne's name to Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast High School, 403 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA 19026 would be appreciated.