Paulette A. (Rissmiller) Fisher

Paulette A. Fisher

Paulette A. (Rissmiller) Fisher, 70, passed away on Tuesday, December 8th at Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, PA. She was blessed to have the compassionate care and support of her doctors at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, the Masonic Village Hospice team, family, friends and neighbors during her quiet yet courageous and graceful journey with cancer.

Paulette was born July 18, 1945 in Reading, PA to the late G. Russell Rissmiller (1946) and the late Jane W. (Angstadt) Rissmiller Hafer (1990). Her loving husband, Christian S. Fisher died on May 1, 2015. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Larry Rissmiller and step-father, Edward Hafer.

Paulette was a loving mother, devoted church organist, and successful business owner. She brought a tremendous amount of creativity and loving energy to her family, friends, and community.

Paulette graduated from Cocalico High School and Millersville State College. She taught First Grade and Kindergarten in the Ephrata Area School District before becoming self-employed and a successful business owner of P.S. Handcrafts, a wholesale handcrafts and sewing business.

Her love of music led her to become a church organist, serving from 1967 until 2015, many of those years at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Ephrata, and most recently at Zion Lutheran Church, Marietta. The best way to express her devotion to music and God is her favorite quote by J.S. Bach “I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.”

As a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Marietta where in addition to being the organist, she also found great joy and delight throughout the year crafting in preparation for the church’s annual Holiday Bazaar. Paulette also enjoyed volunteering at the Mount Joy Gift & Thrift shop.

Paulette is survived by:  A son, Christian A. Funck (Patricia); A daughter, Laura S. Rineer (Jeremiah); A step-daughter, Dr. Anne F. Gossage (David); A step-son, John C. Fisher (Tammy); A step-son James S. Fisher (Meredith); Grandchildren: Kyle, Garrett, Madeline, Lauren, Corey, Kira, Julia, Katherine, and Rachel; And a very close cousin, Mary Jo Noble (Ted).

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Miller-Finkenbinder Funeral Home, Elizabethtown, PA.

The funeral service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, 1290 River Road, Marietta at 11:00am on Saturday, December 19th with visitation beginning at 9am.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, 1290 River Road, Marietta, PA 17547 or Masonic Villages Hospice Services, 1 Masonic Dr., Elizabethtown, PA 17022 or Mount Joy Gift & Thrift, 413 West Main Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552