Obituary of Donald Fish

Donald Lawton Fish Don, beloved Husband of Judy, and Dad of Jay, Ali and Andrew went to be with the Lord, after a four-year battle with cancer, on October 7, 2008, at the age of fifty-seven. He was born September 9, 1951, and grew up in Ferguson, Missouri, the son of Madison A. and Betty Fish. He graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1973 with a Bachelor's Degree in Forestry. Aside from one year with the Wyoming Department of Forestry in Newcastle, Wyoming, and one year with the forestry department of City Utilities in Springfield, Missouri, Don's thirty-plus year career was spent with the USDA Forest Service. His dedication to serving the people and caring for the land took him to the following locations and forests: Spearfish and Deadwood, South Dakota, on the Black Hills National Forest, Laramie, Wyoming, on the Medicine Bow National Forest, Salem, Potosi and Doniphan, Missouri, on the Mark Twain National Forests. The Mark Twain held a special place in his heart as he was privileged to have spent twenty-three years on this forest. Don accepted the Lord as Savior as a boy and took seriously his responsibility to mature in his relationship with God and to lead others into a deeper walk. He did this by singing, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, acting as camp counselor and missions trips team member. He was ordained as a deacon at Potosi Southern Baptist and served faithfully in this capacity in the following churches: Potosi Southern, Emmanuel Baptist and First Baptist Church of Doniphan. Don loved and was loved by his family. He is survived by his wife, Judy, of Doniphan, son James Madison Fish and wife, Breann, of Kansas City, Missouri, daughter Alisa Marie Farwell and husband, William, of Benton, Pennsylvania, son Andrew Lawton Fish of Doniphan, mother Betty Jo Fish of St. Louis and mother-in-law Marjorie H. Flood of Springfield, Missouri. His father and father-in-law preceded him in death in November, 1977 and November, 1987. His brothers and sisters are Charles Fish, James (Lynne) Fish, Randall (B.J.) Fish, Beth (Ed) Davis, Lisa (Samuel) Paris and Jeffrey (Maura) Fish. Don is also survived by one grandchild, two sisters-in-law, Joyce and Janice (Dan) and a brother-in-law, James (Jennifer), as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and coworkers. Don's desire to honor God was exemplified his whole life in family, work and church. A memorial service will be held Sunday, October 12, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Doniphan. Edwards Funeral Home of Doniphan is in charge of arrangements. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Bible Society/Operation Christmas Child effort to supply native language New Testaments to children all over the world. First Baptist Church of Doniphan will accept these gifts at: First Baptaist Church, P. O. Box 8, Doniphan, Missouri 63935.