Jean Fischer, 90
Jean Frances Kowalski Fischer, 90, exited stage left on Dec. 10, 2023. Five years to the date since her husband, Bill Fischer, passed on Dec. 10, 2018. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on Feb. 4, 1933, to Pauline and Edward Kowalski and was always proud of and good-humored about her Polish heritage.
Jean was a beloved local personality in Polson for many years, known for her infectious laugh and devotion to Christ and the Episcopal Church. She worked as a secretary at Polson High School and Security State Bank and Dupuis Lumber when her children were young. She performed on, Showboat Round the Bend, and served as a member and officer of the Jayceens and Soroptimists.
She loved theater and was an original member of The Port Polson Players where she starred in her favorite role as Nurse Ratchet in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." She co-owned and managed the Polson Animal Clinic followed by co-ownership of Anchor Drug in Polson. She participated in the local women’s softball and bowling leagues (strictly for the laughs), as well as the Red Hat Ladies.
In 1991 she married Bill Fischer and moved to his farm in Ferndale. After a courageous victory over cancer, she survived to travel with him across the country in an RV, building homes with Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity before settling in Kalispell. Jeanie and Bill were married for 27 years until his passing in 2018.
Smart, independent, charitable, empathetic, a supporter of the underdog and defender of the not-so-fortunate are just a few ways to describe her. She enjoyed life, laughed a lot and would talk to anyone. There were no strangers in her life and she made friends easily wherever she went.
To say she will be missed is an understatement. It is devastating to lose her but we are thankful she is at peace now.
She is survived by her children, Lynn Welch, Bill (Crissy) Welch and Jackie (John) Gootee; grandchildren, Alison and Georgia Gootee and Alex Welch; and her brothers, Chuck and Rich Kowalski.
The family would like to thank all the caregivers at Logan Health and Brendan House who helped Mom in her final days. They treated her with caring kindness and we will be forever grateful for that.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, at Christ Episcopal Church in Kalispell. A reception will follow in the lower level of the church. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.buffalohillfh.com.