Marine Kenneth Eugene Fisher

Kenneth Eugene Fisher, born on Dec 9th, 1947 in Pulaski, VA and died on August 28th, 2021 of suicide due to dementia. At the age of 18 he joined the United States Marine Corps in hopes of bettering his life situation and to avoid the draft.  He served 3 years in the communications field quickly moving up the ranks while completing his training in a top Navy Krypto School. While in the Marines he would meet Kathleen Spaay who he would later marry and have two children, son Patrick and daughter Treva.

He was a man of integrity, honor and compassion.  A man who, without question, would give you the shirt off his back or the last dime in pocket if he saw you needed it.  He taught us so many lessons and things in life and loved us more than we knew. He was a friend to all now matter your color or creed which was the biggest life lesson he passed on to us. This changed the moral path his family would take and is his legacy.

At 73, with early on-set dementia, my Father took his life.  We imagine it was so he didn't have to deal with that as a lifestyle and ultimately become a burden to his family.  To this day, even though we are understanding of his decision, we are still deeply saddened with his loss but look forward to the day we see him again in Heaven.

On his refrigerator, I found a poem titled Invictus by William Ernest Henly.  It's a short poem about life and death.  The one part that stands out the most is the last verse...

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of fate

I am the captain of my soul.

This shows the struggles my Father had but him saying he was in control.

RIP Marine, Father and Grandfather, You will never be forgotten!