Henry Louis Fischer

Life is a Song

 Henry Louis Fischer

1937-2024

 Henry Louis Fischer (Hank) was born in Strasburg, North Dakota on November 4, 1937, the middle of seven children of Wendelin and Rosemary (Engle) Fischer. He was devoted to his beloved wife of 62 years, Kathleen, his children Tim and Amy, and his grandchildren Haley and Patrick. His vocation was serving the community as a clinical psychologist. His avocation was singing. Music truly was the soundtrack of his well-lived life.

Hank’s passion for music began at home, first singing with his brothers and sisters, then performing in church and school choirs. He attended prep school and college at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he took every opportunity to sing – in operas, in choruses, and on his own. Hank earned a doctorate degree in Psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle. It was there that he met and married Kathleen, who was introduced to him by mutual friends who figured these two North Dakotans might like to meet someone else from their home state. Hank and Kathleen then spent a year in Boston where Hank completed a one-year Post-Doctorate Fellowship at Harvard’s Judge Baker Child Development Center in Boston.

Hank, Kathleen, and Tim then settled in Littleton, Colorado where they soon welcomed Amy. The early years in Colorado were very busy with raising two young kids and establishing himself as a psychologist, first with the University of Colorado Medical Center then on his own in private practice. Along the way Hank coached Tim’s soccer teams, took the family camping, led backpacking excursions with Tim, learned to fly fish, and was an accomplished tennis player with a wicked topspin that sent the ball by his opponent with an unhittable sizzle. He was also a faithful sports fan, with season tickets to various local teams, most notably his beloved Denver Broncos. Even during the worst of his final illness, he would pump visitors for detailed information about the previous night’s Nuggets game.

Music remained a constant in Hank’s life at home (boy could he do justice to a John Denver song!), at church (be it with the 1970s-era Home Mass Group, at Buchtel Chapel on the University of Denver campus, at St. Mary’s parish in Littleton or St. Elizabeth’s of Hungary in Denver) and with the Littleton Chorale. Hank could and would sing just about anything, loved folk music (hence all the John Denver at home) but he tended to favor sacred music (Tim and Amy were probably the only kids in Littleton to recognize Gregorian Chant). When you heard Hank sing, you knew you were in the presence of something that helped you better connect with the divine. For those of you who ever heard him belt out Joy to The World at the end of Christmas Mass, you’ve felt that…

Hank was generous with his time, volunteering at the Saint Elizabeth’s sandwich line (and bringing grandson Patrick along so often that it ignited in Pat his own passion for community service) as well as being a long-time member of the Optimist Club of Littleton, where he held many different leadership and support positions. He loved going to breakfast meetings, reading submissions for essay contests, and putting out American flags on special days. He especially loved the occasional meetings when he could bring his son as show-and-tell!

Through Hank’s professional work, his volunteer service, and through his music he touched the lives of thousands of people who were fortunate enough to come within his orbit.

Hank is survived by his wife Kathleen, his son Tim Fischer (Karen), daughter Amy (Chris), grandchildren Haley Fischer and Patrick Min, his brother Jack Fischer, and sisters Sr. Judith Fischer and Elaine Worline. 

He had no regrets and is missed by all.