Charles H. Fisher Dr.

Charles Harold Hap Fisher, Ph.D., 104 of Roanoke died Friday, May 13, 2011. He was born on November 20, 1906 in Hiawatha, W.VA and was a chemist, technologist, author and philanthropist. He earned a BS degree in Chemistry from Roanoke College in 1928, Master of Science in Chemistry in 1929 from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1932, also from the University of Illinois. Dr. Fisher lead a long and distinguished career that included playing tenor banjo in a dance band, teaching chemistry at the University of Illinois, conducted industrial chemical research at Pennsylvania Coal Products Co., he taught organic chemistry at Harvard, investigated production of liquid fuels and chemicals with the US Bureau of Mines, was a research leader at the USDA Eastern Regional Research Center in Philadelphia, was the Director of the USDA Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans for 22 years and finally returned to Roanoke College in 1972 as a Adjunct Research Professor. He was a US delegate to the 17th Conference of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry at Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden, and was awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by both Tulane College and Roanoke College. He was a recipient of the Herty Medal, the Southern Chemist Award, was named Chemical Pioneer by the American Institute of Chemists, named a Pioneer in Polymer Science by Polymer News, received the USDAs Superior Services Award, the Presidential Citation of Merit by the American Institute of Chemists and the Roanoke College Medal. He was named Honorary Comptroller for the State of Louisiana in 1966 and was a Distinguished Alumni at Roanoke College. In 1990 the Charles H. Fisher Lecture Series was established by Roanoke College, in 1996 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Salem Educational Foundation, in 2002, the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry at Roanoke College was named in his honor and he became a foundation member of the Roanoke College Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 2004. Dr. Fishers record also includes more than two hundred publications and seventy-two patents. His biography is included in Whos Who in America, Whos Who in the World, Englands Outstanding Scientist of the 21st Century, the International Whos Who of Intellectuals and Englands Outstanding Scientists. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence Daniel Fisher and Mary Akers Fisher; former spouses, Nona Elizabeth Dye and Lois Electa Carline; four brothers, Herman E. Fisher, Leroy Fisher, Lawrence D. Fisher, Jr. and Robert S. Fisher; a niece, Barbara Rowell Hume and two nephews, Robert S. Rowell and Herman E. Mickey Fisher, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Snyder Kiser Fisher; a sister, Helen Rowell Miller; his brother, Dr. Richard H. Fisher, and nieces and nephews, Richard H. Fisher, Jr., Roberts W. Fisher, James D. Fisher, Anne F. Andrews, Gwynn F. Derrick, Amy F. Miles, Charles H. Fisher, II, Henry F. Fisher, Charles H. Fisher, III, Elizabeth Terry, Stephen M. Fisher, Thomas B. Fisher, William F. Fisher, Jack O. Rowell, Jr., Janet R. Driscoll and Lawrence F. Rowell. Funeral services will be held at 11AM, Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at the Chapel of John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home, Salem. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8PM, Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at the funeral home. An online guest book is available for family and friends by visiting www.johnmoakey.com. John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Service is serving the Fisher family.