Local historian, author and artist, Sarah Huff Fisk, died Sunday at age 91. Mrs. Fisk was a descendant of pioneer families in Madison County and a lifelong resident of Huntsville/Madison County. Mrs. Fisk attended Huntsville High School and was honored in 1989 by selection for the Roll of Honor for Outstanding Huntsville High School Graduates. Her career began in the secretarial and accounting fields. In 1942, she accepted an office position at Huntsville Manufacturing Co. She became accountant for the company and retired 35 years later as office manager. From a musically talented family, Sarah learned piano at eight years of age and as a teenager was teaching students. For 20 years, she was pianist for Holmes Street Methodist Church. During the Depression years, Sarah and her sister, Martha Lee Huff, created and staged "The Huff Marionettes." Their marionette shows were original in every respect. The plays were presented in the city and county schools, the public library, playgrounds and churches throughout the county. Her early interest in history became a lifelong passion. She was a member of the Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society and served as its president for four years. She was chairman of the mayor's ad hoc committee to research and plan for the reconstruction of Constitution Hall Park and served on the first city board appointed to operate it. During her long membership in the Historical Society she held numerous other positions including chairman to erect many of the historical markers in the county. She was also chairman of the committees to research early communities in the county and to map the downtown area as it was in 1819. She was the artist for "A New Map of Huntsville, Alabama, 1819," which resulted from this effort and was recognized by the American Association for State and Local History. Mrs. Fisk was a talented artist. Her illustrations appeared in five textbooks used in Alabama schools and numerous other publications. In 1974 at the request of Huntsville Utilities, she completed a detailed drawing of "The Public Square, Huntsville, Alabama 1823." This drawing was based on years of extensive research and was displayed in the 150th anniversary historical exhibit of Huntsville's water system. Sarah's creative writing ability became evident early in her life. Her third-grade essay "Boost Huntsville" won second place in a city-wide contest for all grades. The following year, she had a poem published in The Birmingham News. Her writing skills were well utilized throughout her life. Early writings were primarily historically based but she progressed to novels at age 80. At the time of her death, Mrs. Fisk had six books in print the most recent being Lost Writings of Howard Weeden as Flake White which she published in 2005 with co-author Linda Wright Riley. While employed at Huntsville Manufacturing Co., Mrs. Fisk volunteered to edit the company's publication, The Huntsville Parker. She took a great interest in the history of the company and in 1955 she put her research into a "Historical Edition" covering the plant's operations from 1900-1955. Mrs. Fisk was a member of numerous civic organizations and she received innumerable awards for her volunteer efforts. Preceded in death by her husband, Mrs. Fisk was married for 49 years to Burke S. Fisk. She is survived by a niece, Emily Pinkerton Saile and her husband, Roy Saile; nephew, Kerry Alan Pinkerton and his wife, Carolyn Hollingsworth Pinkerton; two great-nephews, Kristopher Adam Pinkerton and Cameron Alan Pinkerton; and a great-great-nephew, William Mason Pinkerton. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. J.B. Pendergraft officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Holmes Street United Methodist Church or the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.
Published in The Huntsville Times, 1/1/2007, p. B3, c3 & internet