Gerald Edward Fisher, 89, of Charlottesville, died on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at the University of Virginia (UVa) Medical Center with family by his side.
He is predeceased by his wife, Carol Woodard Fisher; his parents; and his siblings, Anne Fisher Caughey and Ray C. Fisher Jr..
He is is survived by four children; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
Gerry was born on Oct. 21, 1936, in Charlottesville, the son of Ray C. Fisher and Annie Lousie Whitlock. He attended Venable School and Lane School in Charlottesville and graduated from Lane High School at age 17. He attended Randolph-Macon College, where he majored in Physics and studied several languages. He was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the prestigious leadership honor society, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physics.
After graduating, Gerry worked at his father’s General Electric store during the summer and then was hired by Sperry Piedmont Company in Charlottesville, where he researched, invented, and patented control systems for submarines. He married Mary Alice Fisher in 1959, and they raised two children in Albemarle County.
In 1972 Gerry was elected chairman of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors representing the Samuel Miller District, and he served in that role for almost 12 years during which time he championed controlled growth and environmental stewardship. He earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Virginia in 1986 and was recruited to work for UVa as a research scientist. He later served as a division administrator and state secondary roads engineer for the Virginia Department of Highways.
Gerry married his second wife, Carol Woodard, and welcomed her sons, Carl and Will Gouldman, into the family in 1978. Gerry and Carol celebrated 46 years of marriage and enjoyed travelling and birding and spending time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by four children, Robbie (Lara), Linda (Joe), Will, and Carl (Elizabeth); seven grandchildren, Rebekah, Hannah, Matthew, Jason, Rachel, Hadley, and Sawyer; and four great-grandchildren, Owen, Sadie, Elsie, and Emerson.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com. A private graveside gathering for family and friends is planned for 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at Monticello Memory Gardens.
