In Memoriam - Warren Fisher
1943-2026
On October 17, 2026, friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of Warren Fisher, who died on September 15 at the age of 83. The celebration was filled with songs that Warren and his wife, Ann, had loved and heartfelt memories of a life well lived. Through stories and reflections, a portrait emerged of a man whose quiet determination, generous spirit, and genuine concern for others had earned him the affection and respect of so many.
Warren’s educational journey, supported in part by his work as a mason, eventually led him to a doctorate and a position in the Economics Department at Susquehanna University, where he served for several years as department chair. He particularly enjoyed mentoring students and helping new faculty members find their way. His leadership was always grounded in a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
Warren loved the outdoors, especially fly fishing in Pennsylvania’s trout streams. For at least two decades, he and Ann traveled to Prince of Wales Island in Alaska to fish for salmon. During the 1980s, he worked in Washington for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in Pennsylvania he became active in Trout Unlimited. For Warren, fishing was far from a solitary pursuit. His love of the outdoors brought opportunities to build friendships and strengthen relationships that lasted a lifetime.
Music was another constant in Warren and Ann’s lives, both as listeners and performers. Warren began with guitar and later learned to play bass. He performed with Susquehanna String Theory, Black Bear Crossing, and Frosty Valley Dulcimer Friends. Through these musical connections, he became involved in projects such as the Local Music Collective, the King Street Coffeehouse, and the OATS Bluegrass Festival. Warren and Ann nurtured many lasting friendships through music, but there always seemed to be room for someone new.
Warren also loved spending time in his workshop. His fascination with the autoharp began when a neighbor gave him an unplayable instrument discovered at a yard sale. With help from Tom Fladmark, he restored it to playing condition. Fascinated by the experience, Warren became Tom’s apprentice, initially learning to fashion individual parts. Working in Tom’s shop, he built an autoharp for Ann. Eventually, Tom encouraged him to strike out on his own, and Warren went on to build more than fifty autoharps of his own design. Ann played mountain dulcimer, and Warren came to know and admire dulcimer maker Keith Young. When a friend asked him to build a dulcimer, Warren accepted the challenge, creating the first of ten or more Fisher dulcimers. His craftsmanship was yet another way he shared his talents with others. And his legacy lives on in the instruments he created, continuing to make music in the hands of those fortunate enough to own and play them.
Before long, Warren made his way, autoharp in hand, to the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering, beginning an association that would enrich our organization for many years. His involvement with the Gathering extended well beyond his enthusiasm for the instrument itself. He served on the MLAG Board of Directors for approximately 15 years, but his commitment went far beyond attending meetings and helping guide the organization. Each year he found countless ways to make the Gathering run more smoothly, whether picking up supplies, transporting performers and participants to and from the airport, handling performer hospitality, overseeing T-shirt production, or putting his woodworking skills to use creating the display for our Autoharp Hall of Fame citations. When MLAG was preparing to move from Little Buffalo to Shippensburg, Warren developed a questionnaire to learn what participants hoped to find in a new venue. He had a remarkable ability to recognize what needed doing and then find a way to get it done.
“How can I help?” was more than a familiar question from Warren. It was an expression of the way he approached life.
At the celebration of Warren’s life, friends from the many communities he had touched spoke of his devotion to family, his willingness to reach out to those who needed support, and the trust he inspired in others. His leadership was thoughtful, respectful, and firmly rooted in his values. As one friend observed, “In a discussion, he often didn’t say a lot, but when he spoke, one should listen.”
Thirteen songs were shared during the memorial gathering, each contributing to a tribute filled with affection, gratitude, and remembrance. The stories told that day celebrated a man whose many talents and accomplishments were matched by his compassion, generosity, and genuine concern for others.
Someone remarked that Warren “was the kind of friend everybody ought to have.”
Those of us who knew him through the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering understand exactly what that means. We will miss his friendship, his steady presence, his willingness to lend a hand, and the quiet assurance that whenever something needed doing, Warren would be there, ready to ask, “How can I help?”
