Mary Beth Fisher

Mary Beth Fisher

December 28, 1949 – November 16, 2021

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Saturday, Nov. 27^th at 11am at the West Center Chapel, with VISITATION from 10am to 11am.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Methodist Hospital Foundation and Augustana Lutheran Church-Project Embrace.

To view a live broadcast of the Memorial Service, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Service” button on the home page.

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Mary Fisher passed in peace on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the age of 71.  She is survived by her beloved spouse of 38 years, Cathy Barnes. She is also survived by siblings: John Fisher (Lindsley), Tom Fisher (Patty), and Tom Wallis (Joel); brother-in-law, Mark Barnes (Melinda). She was the proud aunt of nieces and nephews: Luke, Ann, Jeremy, Ramsey, Skya, Sydney, Jeff, Tim; grandnieces and grandnephews: Lelani, Hayden, Ro, Tatum, Quinn, Cecily, Penny, Tyler, Allison, Ed, and Abbi; loving grandmother of: Violet, Charlie, and Bowen.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Constance Fisher.

Mary received her undergraduate degree in Education and Sociology at the University of Colorado and earned her Master’s degree in Education from Boston College.  Her post-graduate studies were in English as a Second Language and Inner-City Education at UNO.  Mary was a dedicated, passionate, and celebrated teacher.  She was awarded the Archdiocese of Omaha Inner-City Teacher of the Year in 2016 for her 10 plus years of service at Sacred Heart, where she taught 7th and 8th grade. Mary also taught at Flanigan and Dominican High School.

Mary’s interest in, study of, and dedication to spirituality and religion was a prominent part of her life.  Not only was she the Director of Religious Education for the Des Moines Diocese, but she also took part as a liturgist at Creighton University and served as a marriage officiant at many of her friends’ weddings.  For the last 11 years, Mary has been a faithful sacristan at daily masses at Saint Mary Magdalene Church in downtown Omaha, where she was a confidant to many and a shoulder to cry on when needed.  She always cherished the opportunity to minister to others.

Mary will also be remembered for her love of music and the arts, as she was an extremely talented artist herself.  She was Director of the Life Choir for persons with mental illness, as well as a wonderful guitarist and singer. Mary often attended musicals, dance performances, operas, and the Shannon Barnhart Dance Studio recitals, where her wife taught and choreographed.

Outside of the arts, Mary was an avid environmentalist.  Whether exploring the mountains or delighting in the salty ocean air, she loved to share in the majesty of nature.  After all, celebrating all things beautiful was at the center of her life.  Her intellectual curiosity and unique creativity lead her to cultivate a wide array of hobbies and interests, including cooking, holism, gardening, photography, building and painting peace poles, as well as exploring other artistic mediums.  Mary loved hosting and creating elegant and festive events for her friends and family.  She was also a champion and supporter of LGBTQ rights, social justice, and ongoing civil rights movements, and dedicated her time and talents to many communities in need.

Mary was beloved to all those who were lucky enough to have her in their lives.  She was a fountain of joy with an innate gift for storytelling.  Her heart was a home and place of peace for many of those who knew her, and while she will be greatly missed, her legacy will live on in the students that she taught, the people that she loved, and in the friends and family who cherished her.