Elizabeth "Betty" Ann (Schweickert) Fischer

Elizabeth A. "Betty" Fischer peacefully passed away Friday, August 12, 2022 at the Hospice of NW Ohio.  Betty was born on July 28, 1927 to Joseph and Mary (Nienberg) Schweickert.  She grew up on Vermont Avenue and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1945.  After graduation she worked as an Executive Secretary at Owens-Corning Fiberglass for Harold Boeschenstein, and many years later, at The Toledo Hospital.

Betty married Lawrence E. Fischer on May 21, 1955, and they shared their life together until he passed away on January 12, 2013.  With deep love and spirit, they raised their six wonderful children, Mary (Jim) McGill, Michael (Kris) Fischer, John Fischer, Matthew (Jennifer) Fischer, Ann (Carl) Schmidt and Christopher Fischer. She is survived by her children, 20 grandchildren,16 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Sharon Schweickert and brother-in-law Edward Fischer. 

She was preceded in death by her infant son Joseph, infant twin granddaughters Sarah and Betsy Schmidt, special aunt Sister Elizabeth Marie Schweickert, brother and sister-in-law Walter and Therese Schweickert, sister and brother-in-law Vera and Ed Cann, brother Joseph Schweickert, sisters-in-law Rosemary Fischer, Marie Fischer, Margaret Allen and Nancy Fischer, brothers-in-law Paul Fischer and Burt Allen, and beloved daughter-in-law Betsy Fischer and beloved grandson Brandon Fischer. 

Betty was a fervent volunteer.  For many years, she volunteered at Heartbeat, Foundation for Life, the Loaves and the Fischers (an ad hoc ministry between Betty and her daughter-in-law Betsy where each Saturday for several years, until Betsy passed away, they would pack lunches and drive around downtown Toledo delivering lunches to homeless individuals (against their husbands’ advice!!!)), The Christophers, and Casa Hogar Elim, a Mexican orphanage that she adopted and where she personally delivered hundreds of pairs of shoes to orphans in need.

A very special thank you to Dr. Luis Jauregui, MD, for his wisdom, guidance, care and treatment of our Mother.  You saw beyond her immediate medical needs and always treated her with the utmost dignity and respect. We are forever grateful.

Mom was a free spirit who loved peace and to sing.  The best tribute we can write about her is from her granddaughter, Allie Threet:

In honor of the best woman we have ever known –

The mark you left on this world in your 95 years is immeasurable. Throughout your life, your feet remained firmly rooted in who you were and what you valued - your trust in God, your love for your family, and your calling to be a servant to anyone in need - while your heart and head were filled with adventure, curiosity, dancing and creativity. You could connect with, engage and empower anyone, anytime, anywhere. You made this world a better place and taught us all so much. Some of our favorite lessons are:

1. Strength doesn’t have to be loud. You were humble and kind in all situations, but you were never afraid to fight for what was right or speak up for injustice, and you never backed down when you saw an opportunity for goodness or righteousness.

2. Joy can be created in all situations. You knew the world was hard, but you always found ways to bring light. You evoked joy ineveryone around you. You taught us to never be too embarrassed or proud to have fun - sing the song, jump in the pool with your clothes on, dance on the chair, drive on the hilly road and go on the adventure.

3. Every person has value and goodness in them. The variety of souls who sat at your dinner table was expansive, but you treated each one with dignity and respect. Poor and rich, friends and strangers, sinners and saints – you made each one feel like the most important person in the room.  You never judged and always uplifted.

4. Don’t take yourself too seriously. You were always busy and always working to make the world a better place, and you did it all in your white button up shirts and crew-neck sweatshirts. You laughed at your quirks and embraced your mistakes. Your example of self-love and self-confidence will stick with us forever.

5. Emotions should be experienced and shared. From joy to suffering and everything in between, you never shied away from your own feelings or those of the people around you. You could celebrate the smallest victories of others with all the genuine enthusiasm in the world, and you could sit quietly to cry and gently comfort anyone experiencing pain. You always found something to CELEBRATE.

6. The world is full of possibilities. From helping us use our imaginations as kids to come up with endless ideas to have fun, to encouraging us as we grew to follow our dreams - you taught us that with a little imagination and gumption, the possibilities are infinite.

7. God is SO good.

We will do our best to honor your legacy - waking up every day and asking God to help us do something good, just as you did. Your life was full of purpose, joy, hardship, love, family, friends and simple pleasures. You spent most of your life with nothing, asked for very little, and created so much. You truly lived every day. 95 years wasn’t near enough of you for the rest of us, but we know your work here was done.

All our love,

Your Family.

Donations in lieu of flowers: Heartbeat of Toledo, Foundation for Life, St. Paul’s Community Center, Most Blessed Sacrament Parish.

Her Family will receive friends at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 2240 Castlewood Dr. Saturday after 10 AM followed by Funeral Mass at 11 AM and interment at Calvary Cemetery.

P.S. “If you make mistakes in life, always err on the side of kindness.” Betty Fischer

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