2006 San Diego LGBT Community Center's Wall of Honor Posthumous Honoree
Muriel Fisher - 85 years young, born April 11, 1919, most recently living in Oceanside, California passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2005. She was a talented crafts person, fiber artist, poet and Renaissance Woman who participated in many, different organizations over the years. Muriel Fisher's life was a lot like her artwork - eclectic and full of spunk - says her friend Kithie Gateley. Her special artistic medium was collecting 'found junk' recycling it and creating beautifully crafted art pieces out of bits of fabric, beads, yarn, feathers, buttons, and objects from nature. A few years ago, Muriel created a series of dolls to honor notable women in our herstory. Many of these dolls now reside at the Women's History Museum in San Diego. People would ask Muriel if she made a living with her artwork, and she would always answer them by saying, "I don't make a living, I make a life." She was part of founding the 'Many Hands' artist cooperative still operating today in San Diego over 25 years later.
She helped found and volunteer for a number of Lesbian groups over the past 25 years including San Diego Lesbian Organization (SDLO), San Diego Jewish Lesbian Chavarah, Slightly Older Lesbians (SOL), Shirttails Collective Coffee Houses - a monthly open-mic night (later to become Shirttails Dances) as well as performed and created stage sets for the (BLT) Beautiful Lesbian Thespians theatre group. She played the King in the all women production of 'Cinderella' when she was in her sixties and even into her eighties was artistically and politically active in community events, participating in an art show a week before her passing.
A few years ago, Muriel honored the San Diego LGBTQI community by participating as the Grand Marshal of the San Diego Pride Parade. She leaves behind a large army of friends and lovers - people she met at Jewish get-togethers, environmental group activities, through her lesbian artist and theater groups, at grief counseling meetings which she began attending after her son Gerald Fisher died in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and at artisan craft fairs where she would sell her work. Her daughter, Elsa Fisher, a Long Beach resident, said she was very proud of her mother. "She was one of the most inspirational characters ever," she said. "Everybody used to say to her, 'I want to grow up and be you.'"
She was born in N.Y. and lived in many places during her lifetime including different areas of California and Mexico. She is survived by her daughter, Elsa Sue Fisher, her brother, Jay Schwartz, 3 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her son, Gerald Paul Fisher who perished at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Services with burial were held March 1, 2005 at Mount Sinai Mortuary in Los Angeles. A Celebration of Life Ceremony was created in honor of Muriel complete with Music, Art, refreshments, ritual, dancing and drumming on Sunday, March 6, 2005 at the Rolling Thunder Studios in the Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego. Her work may be viewed at Muriel Fisher.com along with a Tributes webpage where those who love her may share their memories of Muriel..
Submitted by Wendy Sue Biegeleisen, Kithie Gateley and Jayne Marx
Muriel Fisher - 85 years young, born April 11, 1919, most recently living in Oceanside, California passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2005. She was a talented crafts person, fiber artist, poet and Renaissance Woman who participated in many, different organizations over the years. Muriel Fisher's life was a lot like her artwork - eclectic and full of spunk - says her friend Kithie Gateley. Her special artistic medium was collecting 'found junk' recycling it and creating beautifully crafted art pieces out of bits of fabric, beads, yarn, feathers, buttons, and objects from nature. A few years ago, Muriel created a series of dolls to honor notable women in our herstory. Many of these dolls now reside at the Women's History Museum in San Diego. People would ask Muriel if she made a living with her artwork, and she would always answer them by saying, "I don't make a living, I make a life." She was part of founding the 'Many Hands' artist cooperative still operating today in San Diego over 25 years later.
She helped found and volunteer for a number of Lesbian groups over the past 25 years including San Diego Lesbian Organization (SDLO), San Diego Jewish Lesbian Chavarah, Slightly Older Lesbians (SOL), Shirttails Collective Coffee Houses - a monthly open-mic night (later to become Shirttails Dances) as well as performed and created stage sets for the (BLT) Beautiful Lesbian Thespians theatre group. She played the King in the all women production of 'Cinderella' when she was in her sixties and even into her eighties was artistically and politically active in community events, participating in an art show a week before her passing.
A few years ago, Muriel honored the San Diego LGBTQI community by participating as the Grand Marshal of the San Diego Pride Parade. She leaves behind a large army of friends and lovers - people she met at Jewish get-togethers, environmental group activities, through her lesbian artist and theater groups, at grief counseling meetings which she began attending after her son Gerald Fisher died in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and at artisan craft fairs where she would sell her work. Her daughter, Elsa Fisher, a Long Beach resident, said she was very proud of her mother. "She was one of the most inspirational characters ever," she said. "Everybody used to say to her, 'I want to grow up and be you.'"
She was born in N.Y. and lived in many places during her lifetime including different areas of California and Mexico. She is survived by her daughter, Elsa Sue Fisher, her brother, Jay Schwartz, 3 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her son, Gerald Paul Fisher who perished at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Services with burial were held March 1, 2005 at Mount Sinai Mortuary in Los Angeles. A Celebration of Life Ceremony was created in honor of Muriel complete with Music, Art, refreshments, ritual, dancing and drumming on Sunday, March 6, 2005 at the Rolling Thunder Studios in the Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego. Her work may be viewed at Muriel Fisher.com along with a Tributes webpage where those who love her may share their memories of Muriel..
Submitted by Wendy Sue Biegeleisen, Kithie Gateley and Jayne Marx
2006 San Diego LGBT Community Center's Wall of Honor Posthumous Honoree
Muriel Fisher - 85 years young, born April 11, 1919, most recently living in Oceanside, California passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2005. She was a talented crafts person, fiber artist, poet and Renaissance Woman who participated in many, different organizations over the years. Muriel Fisher's life was a lot like her artwork - eclectic and full of spunk - says her friend Kithie Gateley. Her special artistic medium was collecting 'found junk' recycling it and creating beautifully crafted art pieces out of bits of fabric, beads, yarn, feathers, buttons, and objects from nature. A few years ago, Muriel created a series of dolls to honor notable women in our herstory. Many of these dolls now reside at the Women's History Museum in San Diego. People would ask Muriel if she made a living with her artwork, and she would always answer them by saying, "I don't make a living, I make a life." She was part of founding the 'Many Hands' artist cooperative still operating today in San Diego over 25 years later.
She helped found and volunteer for a number of Lesbian groups over the past 25 years including San Diego Lesbian Organization (SDLO), San Diego Jewish Lesbian Chavarah, Slightly Older Lesbians (SOL), Shirttails Collective Coffee Houses - a monthly open-mic night (later to become Shirttails Dances) as well as performed and created stage sets for the (BLT) Beautiful Lesbian Thespians theatre group. She played the King in the all women production of 'Cinderella' when she was in her sixties and even into her eighties was artistically and politically active in community events, participating in an art show a week before her passing.
A few years ago, Muriel honored the San Diego LGBTQI community by participating as the Grand Marshal of the San Diego Pride Parade. She leaves behind a large army of friends and lovers - people she met at Jewish get-togethers, environmental group activities, through her lesbian artist and theater groups, at grief counseling meetings which she began attending after her son Gerald Fisher died in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and at artisan craft fairs where she would sell her work. Her daughter, Elsa Fisher, a Long Beach resident, said she was very proud of her mother. "She was one of the most inspirational characters ever," she said. "Everybody used to say to her, 'I want to grow up and be you.'"
She was born in N.Y. and lived in many places during her lifetime including different areas of California and Mexico. She is survived by her daughter, Elsa Sue Fisher, her brother, Jay Schwartz, 3 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her son, Gerald Paul Fisher who perished at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Services with burial were held March 1, 2005 at Mount Sinai Mortuary in Los Angeles. A Celebration of Life Ceremony was created in honor of Muriel complete with Music, Art, refreshments, ritual, dancing and drumming on Sunday, March 6, 2005 at the Rolling Thunder Studios in the Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego. Her work may be viewed at Muriel Fisher.com along with a Tributes webpage where those who love her may share their memories of Muriel..
Submitted by Wendy Sue Biegeleisen, Kithie Gateley and Jayne Marx
Muriel Fisher - 85 years young, born April 11, 1919, most recently living in Oceanside, California passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2005. She was a talented crafts person, fiber artist, poet and Renaissance Woman who participated in many, different organizations over the years. Muriel Fisher's life was a lot like her artwork - eclectic and full of spunk - says her friend Kithie Gateley. Her special artistic medium was collecting 'found junk' recycling it and creating beautifully crafted art pieces out of bits of fabric, beads, yarn, feathers, buttons, and objects from nature. A few years ago, Muriel created a series of dolls to honor notable women in our herstory. Many of these dolls now reside at the Women's History Museum in San Diego. People would ask Muriel if she made a living with her artwork, and she would always answer them by saying, "I don't make a living, I make a life." She was part of founding the 'Many Hands' artist cooperative still operating today in San Diego over 25 years later.
She helped found and volunteer for a number of Lesbian groups over the past 25 years including San Diego Lesbian Organization (SDLO), San Diego Jewish Lesbian Chavarah, Slightly Older Lesbians (SOL), Shirttails Collective Coffee Houses - a monthly open-mic night (later to become Shirttails Dances) as well as performed and created stage sets for the (BLT) Beautiful Lesbian Thespians theatre group. She played the King in the all women production of 'Cinderella' when she was in her sixties and even into her eighties was artistically and politically active in community events, participating in an art show a week before her passing.
A few years ago, Muriel honored the San Diego LGBTQI community by participating as the Grand Marshal of the San Diego Pride Parade. She leaves behind a large army of friends and lovers - people she met at Jewish get-togethers, environmental group activities, through her lesbian artist and theater groups, at grief counseling meetings which she began attending after her son Gerald Fisher died in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and at artisan craft fairs where she would sell her work. Her daughter, Elsa Fisher, a Long Beach resident, said she was very proud of her mother. "She was one of the most inspirational characters ever," she said. "Everybody used to say to her, 'I want to grow up and be you.'"
She was born in N.Y. and lived in many places during her lifetime including different areas of California and Mexico. She is survived by her daughter, Elsa Sue Fisher, her brother, Jay Schwartz, 3 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her son, Gerald Paul Fisher who perished at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Services with burial were held March 1, 2005 at Mount Sinai Mortuary in Los Angeles. A Celebration of Life Ceremony was created in honor of Muriel complete with Music, Art, refreshments, ritual, dancing and drumming on Sunday, March 6, 2005 at the Rolling Thunder Studios in the Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego. Her work may be viewed at Muriel Fisher.com along with a Tributes webpage where those who love her may share their memories of Muriel..
Submitted by Wendy Sue Biegeleisen, Kithie Gateley and Jayne Marx
