James Carroll Fisher

James Carroll "Jim" Fisher, 68, of Limestone, died Sunday (Oct. 9, 2011) at Provena St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Clancy-Gernon-Hertz Funeral Home, west Kankakee, and from 10 a.m. Wednesday at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Bradley, until the 11 a.m. funeral service. The Rev. Patty Heath will officiate. Military rites will be conducted by the Kankakee American Legion Post 85 and the U.S. Air Force. Cremation rites will be accorded following the service at Clancy-Gernon-Hertz Crematory. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family wishes. He was born April 16, 1943, at St. Francis Hospital, in Peoria, the son of Carroll O. and Betty R. Blackwell Fisher. Jim attended schools in Peoria, Danforth and Kankakee. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960 to 1964, where he earned his GED. He then worked at Gould National Battery in Kankakee, Lockheed Aircraft in California, Ford Motor Company Stamping Plant in Chicago Heights, and General Mills corn mill in Kankakee. While attending Kankakee Community College, he worked part time as a cook at the Ham 'n Egger Restaurant and as a chef at The Little Corporal Restaurant. Jim graduated from KCC in 1972 with an associate degree in law enforcement and then worked as a security officer at Manteno State Hospital until he became a police officer for the city of Kankakee in 1974. After working as a patrolman for 12 years, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, became a detective, and was later put in charge of the stolen auto division. Jim was also a member of the Tactical Unit and was the sniper on the SWAT team for 10 years. For the last five years of his police career, Jim supervised the midnight shift of the patrol division. He retired in 1994 after working as a police officer for 20 years. He loved his work as a policeman and enjoyed helping people and serving the community. His favorite saying was "Each day is different, and each day is new." While he worked as a police officer, Jim also worked part time as a security officer at St. Mary's Hospital. After he retired, he taught classes in the Driver Improvement Program at KCC and also worked part time as a bailiff at the Kankakee County Courthouse, mostly in traffic court. His final employment was working as security at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet during the major drag races and the NASCAR and Indy Car races. Jim loved his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He also enjoyed traveling with his family as his sons were growing up, and taking cruises and fall trips with his wife. Among his favorite trips were ones to Hawaii, Alaska, Civil War battlefield sites and Europe, where he visited his sons who were living in Warsaw, Poland, and Wiesbaden, Germany, while they served in the U.S. military. He also enjoyed cheering for his favorite sports teams, the Denver Broncos, the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Blackhawks. He loved watching NASCAR races, especially when Dale Earnhardt was racing. Surviving are his wife, the former Patricia A. Boyd, of Limestone, whom he married June 18, 1966, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher; two sons and daughters-in-law, James L. and Barbara M. Fisher, of Elgin, and Steven Louis and Carrie E. Fisher, of Fort Meade, Md.; five grandchildren, Erich T. Fisher and Gretchen L. Fisher, both of Chatsworth, Roman T. Fisher and Henry J. Fisher, both of Elgin, and Thomas C. Fisher, of Fort Meade; one sister, Patricia J. Bonnell, of Bonfield; two brothers, Michael E. Fisher, of Peoria, Ariz., and Mark F. Fisher, of Phoenix, Ariz.; two brothers-in-law, Duane L. and Anna Mae Boyd, of Kankakee, and William R. and Paula Boyd, of Concord, N.C.; one sister-in-law, Betty Davis, of Palatine; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother and sister-in-law, William L. And Suzanne Fisher.

James Carroll Fisher

April 16, 1943 - October 9, 2011