Ralph M. Fisher was born October 28, 1891 in Elkhart, Indiana, the son of John A. and Jeanette Stuck Fisher. He received his elementary and high school education in Elkhart.

The Fisher family in Beloit is synonymous with the Beloit Box Board Company. In 1907 John A. Fisher of Elkhart, Indiana, purchased into the Barrett Manufacturing Company, makers of straw board and roofing felt and moved to Beloit to take over operations of the company. Ralph came to Beloit with the family and immediately went to work at the Beloit Box Board Company.

On June 16, 1916, he returned to Elkhart to marry Claire Paxson. They had three sons. Claire died in 1972 and Ralph remarried in 1975 to Anne Christ Sutton.

Ralph took an active part in the growth of the company. He retired in 1965 at which time he became Chairman of the Board, a position he held until the time of his death.

Ralph Fisher served his city well. He was a member of the City Council from 1935 through 1938. During this time the Beloit Natatorium was built, a project Mr. Fisher supported strongly. He also was influential in the hiring of Archie Telfer as city manager.

He was much concerned about making Beloit’s hospital the best and supervised the improvements and expansion of a new heating system for the hospital. He served one term on the Board of Education and concentrated his efforts on the selection of the present site for the erection of a new Beloit Memorial High School.

On August 20, 1940, Ralph Fisher, along with Colonel Robinson, E.E. Crowley, William Schofer, Fred Benti and B.P. Eldred, Jr., were named to the Beloit Council of Defense. The purpose of this organization was to rekindle a spirit of patriotism and get the Beloit citizenry involved in preparation for any military possibility growing out of involvement in Europe and Japan. Because of the leadership of these men Beloit developed one of the strongest civil defense units in the Midwest.

From 1945 through 1949, Ralph Fisher served on the Board and the last three years as President of the Beloit chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ralph Fisher was deeply involved with his adopted church affiliation, St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish of Beloit. He assisted in many ways and became closely allied with his priest, the Reverend William Oliver Johnson.

On December 20, 1952, he was ordained as an Episcopal deacon by Donald H.F. Hallock, Coadjutor Bishop of Milwaukee. He preached his first sermon in July 1952, using as his text II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” He assisted in Episcopal services in each of the parishes where he worshipped during his retirement. These were at St. Martin-In-The-Field in Pompano Beach and at St. Mark’s in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also served the parish in Honolulu, Hawaii.

His death on May 20, 1985, prompted this editorial in the Beloit Daily News: “Men such as Ralph Fisher set high standards and shining examples of service above self. Their legacy can be seen in a Beloit that cares about people, surmounts problems and fosters community pride.” A very well chosen summary on the life of Ralph Fisher.