Jo Anne Fisher

Jo Anne Fisher of Crawford, NE passed away August 25th at the Chadron Community Hospital.

Jo Anne (known by all as “Jo”) was born in Sioux City, IA on October 19, 1937, to Woodrow and Lila Johnson, and grew up there. Jo won many medals in swimming during her childhood and loved to play basketball. After graduating from Morningside College in Sioux City, she became a kindergarten teacher in LeMars, IA. During this time, she met and married Albert Minick Fisher. To this union were born four children. Jo and Albert raised their children on a farm just outside LeMars, until 1985 when Jo Anne accepted a position at Chadron State College and the family moved west.

Jo was also employed at Chadron Head Start and taught at Trunk Butte School. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Librarian and then Head Librarian of the Crawford Public Library. It was her strong belief children should have good books in their hands.

Jo loved music and was a talented piano player. She sang with many various church and community choirs over the course of 70 years. She loved sewing, gardening, bird watching, and nature, and passed those hobbies on to her children and grandchildren. Family was her greatest treasure.

Jo Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Woodrow and Lila, brother Norman Johnson, and husband, Albert Fisher. She is survived by her children Kari (Ron) Watt of Salisbury, NC; Kristen (Anthony) Badura of Riverton, WY; Kurt (Jill) Fisher of Weatherby, MO; Keil (Lisa) Fisher of New Underwood, SD. Grandchildren Chase Brunick, Mitchell and Alexa Watt; Tai, Kara, Anya, and Leisel Badura; Adrik, Jantzen, Keison, and Aubrynne Fisher; and Forrest and Ashar Fisher. Great Grandchildren: Cairo, Judea, and Zinn Watt; and Evelyn Brunick; Siblings: Judith Lofgren and Milton Johnson.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, September 2, at 10:00 am, at the Whitney Methodist Church in Whitney, NE, with interment service for the family to be held at the Black Hills National Cemetery where she will join her husband, Albert.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established to purchase classic children’s books for the Crawford Public Library. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, at PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.