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IRENE P. FISHER

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Irene P. Fisher was born in 1921, and she and her sister Ruby were the first in their family to graduate from college in High Point, NC. After WWII, Irene and her first husband, Ralph Evens Payne, relocated to Pennsylvania, where they had three children. In 1956, Ralph died and Irene raised her children while teaching English to students in the Council Rock School District. In 1966, Irene married John “Jack” R. Fisher, an industrial arts teacher at New Hope-Solebury High School. Both Irene and Jack were active members of the Solebury Friends Meeting. Sometime after retirement, Irene and Jack relocated to Friends Village in Newtown, until Jack’s death in 1999. Irene remained an active member of the Village’s community, and celebrated her 100th birthday there on April 4, 2021. Irene passed on peacefully on Sunday, September 5, with son Philip and daughter Karen caring for her. Irene is survived by three children, Kathryn “Kitty” McGinnis, Philip Payne, Karen Gordon, and step-daughter, Tina Christensen-Smith, and, including Tina’s family, 4 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. Her sister Ruby preceded her in death earlier this year. Extended family from her and Jack’s families and many friends live all over the United States and in other countries.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Solebury Friends Meeting on Saturday, September 25, 2:00 PM. (2680 Sugan Road, New Hope, PA 18938). The meeting requests all attendees to wear masks and family ask visitors to respect social distancing. Informal visiting will be offered on the grounds of the meetinghouse after the service.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, gifts be sent in Irene’s name to one of two charities that she supported in the last years of her life: Cheyenne River Indian Outreach (for children), CRIOutreach.org, or OperationSmile at operationsmile.org (enabling children to smile).


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