William Dale "Bill" Fisher
William Dale “Bill” Fisher, 76, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and most recently of Tunnel Hill, Georgia, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday May 12, 2024.
A native of High Point, Ga., Bill was born on June 10, 1947, in Chattanooga. Bill was a graduate of Rossville High School class of 1965. From 1968-1972 Bill served his country in the United States Air Force and was a member of the 564th Tactical Air Command Band as an avid flute and piccolo player stationed at Langley AFB, VA.
Such special memories of Bill standing proud and playing loudly his piccolo solo for the “The Stars and Stripes Forever March”. He studied music education and was a member of Phi Mu Alpha at Austin Peay State University class of 1974. He went on to receive Master of Music Education at Murray State University 1984. Bill was best known in Kentucky as band director for the Christian County High School Band from 1978 to 1998 and continued working with the Christian County Board of Education until his retirement in 2003.
After coming back to Georgia to be near his mother whose health was declining, he took a job in Dalton and served as band director at Christian Heritage School from 2016 to 2024. The faculty and students of CHS have relayed such kind words of how grateful they are for having had the opportunity to know Bill and see his passion and encouragement for each student.
Through the years Bill played flute in the church orchestra, with Chattanooga Area Flute Choir, the Chattanooga Symphony, the Dalton Community Band, was a member of the Tennessee Valley Winds, and an instructor with Bravo Music camps at Berry College alongside his brother Mickey. Most anytime you saw Bill you also saw his flute by his side ready to play if asked. As well as the flute Bill was also gifted on the piano from a very young age. A few of his favorite old hymns are Pentecostal Fire, On the Jericho Road, I’m Redeemed and Whispering Hope.
He grew up in First Church of the Nazarene of which he was a member but was recently attending Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle with his sister in Ringgold.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years Alicia Fisher, their daughter Jenny Fisher (Melton Mashburn) of Hopkinsville, KY. Sister-in-law, Sandy Fisher of Tunnel Hill, GA. Also left to grieve over his passing is his sister Gloria (Greg) Lee of Ringgold, GA. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends will miss him dearly. To know Bill was to love him.
Besides his love of music and love for family, he enjoyed golf, politics, connecting with the past by searching for old graves and visiting cemeteries, riding the open road in his Miata, wearing his red Christian County jacket, making dollar bill origami flapping birds for so many people he met, and so much more. Thinking of people who impacted his life: Mother who encouraged him to fulfill his God given gifts, Daddy who always showed patience kindness and love, his brother Mickey who was always there with love and support, his high school band director and friend Dale Shaffner, his pastor and devoted friend John Andrus, each of whom have now gone on from this world also. Bill would be thankful for the many students with whom he crossed paths and had the opportunity to teach which gave him such joy. Thankful for a special person in his life who was there as a caring friend and who selflessly devoted her time during his last days in the hospital up until the very end.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Bills name could be made to either of the following: Christian County Band Boosters --Hopkinsville, KY Christian Heritage Fine Arts Dept. -- Dalton, GA (to enhance the band program) Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle Music Dept. -- Ringgold, GA
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 20, 2024 at Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home in Hopkinsville, KY. Burial will follow in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00a.m. until the funeral hour.