August 28, 1924 – January 21, 2021
Ruth Fizer, 96, crossed the threshold peacefully on January 21, 2021, at home with loving family at her bedside.
She was born at home on August 28, 1924 in Stanford, Texas, to Emma and Samuel Cooksey, the first of their 3 girls. She graduated high school in Ackerly, Texas and soon thereafter during World War II worked at an Air Force Base in West Texas, distributing airplane parts. It was there that she met her husband, Charles Fizer Jr., who was a B-29 flight engineer in the US Air Force, flying missions against Japan. They were married after the war on February 1, 1946, and remained happily together for 70 years, raising three children, Charles III, Marilyn and Anita.
After moving to Hialeah, Florida, where Charles became a flight engineer for Eastern Airlines, they built a house in South Miami where family still resides and the 65 year old mango tree they planted still produces delicious and abundant mangoes.
Ruth worked at various businesses her husband ran in later years, but her favorite time in life was “when her children were little.” They moved back to Texas after 22 years, first to Pasadena, Texas, near Charles’s sister and then to Newton, Texas; where Charles built a lovely house on 10 acres. This was Ruth’s favorite place. They had a big garden and grew the very best tomatoes. They also ran a local convenience store there with family for a few years. They then moved back to Florida, also traveling to the Virgin Islands and driving their camper to Colorado to visit their youngest daughter, her husband and Colorado granddaughters.
They eventually moved into a townhouse in Miami a few miles from their daughter Marilyn March and her husband Don March, who devotedly looked after their daily needs. She loved to visit her son and daughter in-law in Orlando and her grand daughter Carrie and grand son Charlie. She loved seeing the grandchildren, great-grand children and 4 great-great grandchildren, who affectionately called them Maw and Paw Paw. In Charles’ last few years, they moved to Jacksonville where their granddaughter Darla lovingly managed their care with the help of their devoted son, Charles III, while in an elder care facility due to Charles’s dementia. In her last 4 years, Ruth moved to Colorado and lived with her youngest daughter Anita and her family.
She always loved being outdoors, boating, walking on the beach collecting shells in Florida, or just sitting in the sun with a good cup of coffee. She also enjoyed seeing the snow. She was a very special person, who never said a bad word about anyone, was kind, loving, honest, generous, appreciative and wise. She enjoyed travel, people, animals and life, each and every day.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Fizer II, and daughter, Marilyn March. She is survived by her eldest son Charles Fizer III, and his wife Lauren of Orlando, Florida; and her daughter Anita Fizer and her husband Robert Myers of Boulder, Colorado; and by 9 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.
Special thanks to her attentive and loving caregivers; and also to Carelink, Via, and the wonderful staff at Trailwinds Hospice. Her memorial service will be held by zoom at a later date. Donations may be made to Via Mobility Services (viacolorado.org) which gave her some independence or to a charity or food bank of your choice.
Her big heart, smile and presence will be greatly missed.
