Today, I don’t have much on my mind other than my mother. She was the best! I fell short in many ways, but that doesn’t take away from her. The past months have been so difficult for her, but now she is at peace, and I trust singing her heart out in Heaven.
We love you Mom. You will be missed!
Amanda Farmer Fisher, 84, a native of Taylorsville, MS, passed on to join The Lord's Heavenly Choir today.
Amanda was a wonderful homemaker and mother to Jon Thomas Fisher (60), James Keith Fisher (58) and Beth Fisher Tice (55). Amanda graduated from Taylorsville High School in 1956 and attended Millsaps College where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority, the Concert Choir, Madrigals, and Chapel Choir. After college and throughout her life she continued to use her beautiful voice as a soloist at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS and First Presbyterian Church in Taylorsville, MS. Her rendition of "O Holy Night” brought tears to many eyes over the years.
After graduation from Millsaps in 1960, Amanda married James Ray Hood of Marks, MS. James was killed during active duty with the Mississippi National Guard on July 20, 1964, leaving Amanda with two little boys to rear at the young age of 26. Amanda later married Walter Frank Fisher of Winona, MS on October 9, 1965. They built their home in Jackson, MS where Walter worked in the banking industry until 1974 and Amanda was a stay-at-home-mom who didn't stay home much! She was a wonderful homemaker and was involved with the children's education at First Presbyterian Day School. She served as one of the editors of the highly acclaimed and widely distributed cookbook produced by the parents of First Presbyterian Day School titled, "Bless This Food Oh Lord We Pray". A monumental undertaking at the time, the Cookbook provided much needed educational resources for the school for many years. The cookbook shared many southern delicacies donated by the parents of First Presbyterian Day School students. The Cookbook is still sought after and a treasure to anyone's cookbook collection.
During the summer of 1974, Walter and Amanda relocated to back to Taylorsville, MS, where Amanda was born and raised. They moved "Home" to operate the E.T. Ruffin Store, a small department store founded by Amanda's grandfather, Edwin Thomas Ruffin. Amanda and Walter resided in Taylorsville through Walter's passing in 2005. Amanda will always be remembered for her beautiful voice and her sense of humor. She always loved a good joke and April Fool’s Day where she used her family as the butt of her pranks. We would wake up to paper stuffed into our shoes, soap on our toothbrushes, and Cream Cheese with Pickapeppa sauce that she would pass off as ice cream with chocolate sauce to her ice cream loving children! Just try that taste out for your next dessert!
Amanda is preceded in death by her parents, John Lafayette and Mildred Ruffin Farmer; her husbands, James Ray Hood, and Walter Frank Fisher; and her Brother Jack Ruffin Farmer. She is survived by her three children, Jon Thomas Fisher (Elizabeth) of Oxford, Dr. James Keith Fisher (Susie) of Laurel and Amanda Elizabeth (Beth) Fisher Tice (Rik) of Madison, nine grandchildren: James Turner Fisher (Claire), Mary Grace Fisher Pinkard (Chad), Joshua Wright Fisher (Kaitlyn) and Susan Darby Fisher all of Memphis, Jon Offman Fisher (Alyssa) of Mesa, AZ, Sallie Barrow Fisher of Detroit, MI, James Farris Fisher of Frisco, TX, Douglas Allan Tice of Madison, and Joseph Warren Tice of Madison and eight great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be sent to the First Presbyterian Church in Taylorsville, MS.