Obituary of Thomas Richard Fischer
Thomas Richard (Tom) Fischer, long time resident of Santa Cruz County, died peacefully, surrounded by his family on Thursday, February 14, 2019. He was 68. Tom was born in Watsonville, California on July 9, 1950 to Lloyd and Shirley Fischer. He graduated from Santa Cruz High in 1968, and shortly thereafter enlisted in the United States Army and was accepted to the 101st Airborne as a Green Beret. In 1973, he married his wife of 45 years, Leslie (Allen). Together they raised their son Kevin.
After returning from the service, Tom began a career in construction. Over the next 45 years he would work with his father, uncles, brothers, and nephews. He went on to form his own construction company, On The Level, where he built and remodeled numerous homes throughout the central coast, as well as handling construction projects for the family business in the Yosemite Area. Tom and Leslie also spent a great deal of time working on a number of houses where they would live. Tom was proud and pleased to have worked on many of the homes where his siblings, nieces, and nephews now reside.
In addition to his contracting business, Tom was an active partner in Yosemite Resorts, a family hospitality operation just outside Yosemite National Park. He was instrumental in the construction, maintenance, and design of those properties and took pride in their development. He was also a partner in Sterling Pacific Financial, where his expertise guided numerous projects and was critical to the advancement of the enterprise.
Tom was an avid reader and lifelong learner. There was almost nothing Tom couldn’t figure out if he set his mind to it – a language, a software program, a building trade. Most recently Tom had been teaching himself to become a day trader. Tom loved spending time with his family; teasing them, mentoring them, or just beating them in a game of Pinochle. He especially loved spending time with his wife Leslie and his son Kevin. Tom and Leslie enjoyed their life together taking cruises to Latin America, and numerous trips to Kauai. Tom and Kevin shared great times taking in the latest film, bowling a few frames, or on their latest trips to Washington DC and Reno.
Tom is survived by his wife of 45 years, Leslie Fischer; his son Kevin, his mother Shirley Fischer, his siblings, Gerald (Karane) Fischer, April Fischer, Steven (Melissa) Fischer, Stewart (Charlene) Fischer, Charles (Christina) Fischer, Wanda (Steven) Plumlee, Cheryl (Rufino) Rangel, Sister-in-law Jackie (Isidro) Baeza, Brothers-in-law Don (Joyce) Allen, Joe (Cathy) Lopez and numerous uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd Fischer and his brother, David Fischer.
There will be a private service with a celebration of life to be announced later. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that you donate to the charity of your choice.
In Loving Memory
Thomas Fischer
1950 - 2019
