EWGS Presidents Raymond J. Fisher

This is the twenty sixth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, and Lorena May Saylor Wildman



Raymond J. Fisher was EWGS President 1976 and 1977. Ray was born August 23, 1923 son of Guy Ragan and Ruby Lavia (Bunt) Fisher. Ray graduated from Dayton High school and Kinman Business University. He had been a Corporal in the US Army from 1945 to 1947. Ray was an accountant and he retired in 1991. Ray collected old post cards and liked genealogy, reading, woodworking and local history. He was a life member of EWGS and a member of the Eastern Washington Historical Society, the Society of Genealogy of London, the National Genealogical Society and the Pike County, Illinois Genealogy Society. If you check the Spokane Public Library catalog you find Ray was the author of an Index to Township Maps 1905, Mason School Records, and a Directory of School District Officers of Spokane County. Besides being EWGS President and EWGS Treasurer many times, he held many appointive offices, and was the EWGS Researcher till 1998. He also made copies and mailed publications EWGS had published. Ray died October 22, 2003 and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery at Walla Walla, Washington.
In 1976 EWGS membership grew by 20%. 1977 EWGS dues were $6.00. The Bulletin printed a Index to the Book of Deeds of Spokane County 1880-1883.

Comments by Carrie Lartigue: 1976 Mr. Raymond Fisher -Is there an office or appointive committee in EWGS on which Ray has not served? I believe he, more than any other member, has helped more people, done more individual favors and contributed more to the betterment of this society than I could possibly list. Outside of Sundays..his second home is at the library in the Genie Room. Congratulations, Ray...we are proud you chose us for friends!

Editors Comments: While I had met a few of the earlier EWGS Presidents, Ray was the first one I knew personally. I was a new genealogist when Ray suggested all the EWGS members join the genealogy bulletin board on Prodigy, I really liked that bulletin board and by reading posts every night I learned a lot about genealogy and later became a Special Contributor and eventually a Member Rep on the Prodigy Bulletin Board. I started doing some look ups for queries for the Spokane area from Prodigy, and so when Ray decided to retire from the Research I asked the then President Elect John Zeimantz if I could replace Ray as the EWGS Researcher. John said no one could replace Ray but I could have the Research job on a trial basis and so on January 1, 1998 I became the new EWGS researcher. Ray still had some research he was finishing, and so he showed me around the courthouse, introduced me to the people in the auditors office and in the archives. Ray's advice to me was the best way to become a better genealogist is to do research for others, thanks Ray that was great advice.