She was born on March 1, 1929 on a farm near David City, Neb. to John and Anna Willemsen Frericks.
She started school at the age of 5-1/2 years in a one-room school house on the ranch where they lived. The Frericks family began moving to Oregon in 1937 and arrived in Baker City on New Year’s Eve in 1938. Connie attended St. Francis Academy from the fourth grade through graduation in 1946. She was the first of her family to graduate from high school. She worked for Dr. John Higgins, the Crawford and Grant Insurance Agency, and then the Chancery Office of St. Francis Cathedral while also working at her sister Elizabeth’s Richfield Service Station and Store on 10th Street in Baker City.
She married Roger Wilbur “Bill” Fisher of Haines on March 12, 1951. They lived on various farms in Muddy Creek until they sold the farming operation in 1966. They moved to Echo, and Bill went to work for John, Smith and Beamer in Athena. Connie worked a couple of years at the Pendleton Woolen Mills before taking classes to become a medical transcriptionist. She spent the next 20 years doing medical transcription work for Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston, St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, and medical clinics in Hermiston, Umatilla and Boardman.
She loved to garden and sew. She won Echo yard of the month on several occasions. She purchased a new sewing machine in the last year and started a little business sewing aprons.
She is survived by her four children and their spouses: Patrick and Marianne Fisher, Pendleton, Roger and Myrna Fisher, Elko, Nev., Terri and Steve Voorhees, Hermiston, and Ed and Kathy Fisher, Pendleton; eight grandchildren: Sean and Breanne Fisher (Hosford), Cody, Jordan and Ashley Voorhees (Mason), John, Mike and Dan Fisher; a step grandson, Kirk Rickey; six great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, and siblings, Ted, Joe, Leo and Elizabeth Frericks, Louise Todd, Ramona Idler, and Helena, who died in infancy.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Haines Cemetery.
The family is very grateful for the care provided by the staff at Sun Terrace in Hermiston and the personnel of Vange John Memorial Hospice. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Vange John Memorial Hospice at 645 W. Orchard Ave. Ste. 500, Hermiston, 97838 or the Shriners Hospitals for Children at www.shrinershospitals.org/donate.
Please sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
