David Fisher

David Wayne Fisher, "Fish," passed away on October 18, 2024, in Oklahoma City at the age of 69. He was born on September 5, 1955, in New Iberia, Louisiana, to Jewel Dean Smith and Wilburn Lester Fisher while his family was traveling for work.

David grew up in Ada, Oklahoma. He attended Ada High School where he and his football team won a state championship in 1970. His deep love for football was fostered at Ada High and remained for life.

After graduating from Ada in 1973, he attended East Central University and became one of the first juniors to be a captain of the football team along with Chuck Blackburn. This elected position is typically reserved for seniors, but the team had spoken and David took his leadership role seriously. In 1975, when he was a junior captain, the Tigers won the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Championship and also played in the Bicentennial Bowl in Little Rock, Arkansas. His close friends still talk about his athletic ability, steadfast friendship, and remarkable toughness, which carried him through his many health struggles that came about in the last several years of his life.

He worked many different jobs throughout his life, which provided interesting stories to accompany those from football. During his younger years, he was hauling hay, washing cement trucks out in a swimsuit on hot summer days, delivering feed, and working on some oil field tasks. After graduating college, David went on to coach football at Ardmore and Idabel. After he got out of coaching, he spent many years as a Farmers Insurance agent.

David enjoyed time with his family and friends—especially his kids, watching football of all levels, grilling, golf, darts, 1970s rock music, westerns, fantasy football, and good food. He enjoyed being the neighborhood candy bowl keeper so the neighbor kids could pop in and say, "Fish, you got candy?" He was a loyal friend with a big heart wrapped in a tough exterior, and he will be greatly missed by his friends and family.

David is survived by his three children: Kimberly (Garbutt), her husband Bart and son Reid; son Wyatt Fisher; daughter Gentry (Chapman), her husband Tyler, and daughter Heidi; significant other Kim Dicus; brothers Terry Fisher and Brian Smith; cousin Ricky Faulkenberry; and multiple nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, beloved grandmother Maude Faulkenberry, brothers Jimmy Fisher and Bobby Fisher, and sister Debra Fisher-Meredith.

A celebration of life will be held at H2O.Church on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 12 p.m. in Ada, Oklahoma. Services will be officiated by Pastor Tyson Brown and former ECU teammate and devout friend Chuck Blackburn.

Honorary pallbearers will be David's longtime friends: Chuck Blackburn, Steve Leemhuis, Tim Hibbard, Duane Murray, Joe Dickinson, Jerry Collier, and Willie Cowger.