Donald McIntosh Fisher Jr. of West Tisbury, and Butte, Mont., passed away on June 23, 2026.
Born in Oak Bluffs on Feb. 21, 1949, to Donald M. Fischer Sr. and Christine (“Tina”) Pachico Fisher of West Tisbury, Donald spent his younger years on Martha’s Vineyard before being drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served a tour of duty in Vietnam.
After graduating from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1967, he attended the University of Massachusetts at Lowell on a wrestling scholarship. He majored in music, but his aspirations were curtailed when he was drafted.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, he moved west to Great Falls, Mont. There he married Gayle Swenson. This marriage produced two children, Becky and Scott. He later married Deborah Gess, who gave birth to Donald M. Fisher III.
In high school, Don played the trombone, tuba, and sousaphone, and he was gifted with a beautiful bass voice. He was on the verge of signing a contract with Decca Records when he was drafted. He spent many years working on the farm of his uncle, Fred Fisher Jr., in West Tisbury, as well as working building stone walls and homes. In Montana he and friend Dan Cook formed C & F Construction Management. They designed and built many quality homes in Montana and regionally as far south as Las Vegas. Don remained musically active, singing with the Montana Chorale, Great Falls Symphony, Butte Symphony Choir, and Mining City Choir in Butte.
In the 2000s, Don was beset by multiple health issues that would impact him for the rest of his life. He always tried to look on the positive side of life, and was a devout Christian.
He was an outdoorsman, taking his children camping and, later, the boys hunting and fishing. He had several horses over the years, having learned to ride at his uncle’s farm.
Don is survived by his wife, Deborah; his daughter, Becky (Aaron) Timmons; sons Scott (Stacey Mohney) Fisher and Don III (Amanda); stepchildren Nicole Ryujin and Kiyoshi (Shantal) Ryujin; brother Peter (Dorothy) Fisher, and sisters Fran Fisher Copeland and Martha (Steve) Staples. He also leaves grandchildren Madeleine Florence Marie Timmons, Elliot Christine Timmons, and Otis McIntosh Fisher, as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews in the Midwest, Martha’s Vineyard, and North Shore of Massachusetts.
Don’s family would like to thank the staff at the Southwest Montana Veterans’ Home for the compassionate care they gave him in Butte during the last year of his life.
A memorial service was held on July 17 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Butte, and was streamed to friends and relatives in Massachusetts and in Iowa. A three-gun salute at his service was testimony to his love of his country.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Vietnam Veterans of America, 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Springs, MD 20910, or to the charity of one’s choice.
