Lois H. Fischer, a Master Gardener, museum educator, property manager and loving wife and mother, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2021 at the age of 70, surrounded by her family.
Lois was born in Wilmington, DE in 1951 to Carol and Edna Kandle and married her husband of 42 years, Douglas S. Fischer, in 1979. She is a 1974 graduate of Boston University and earned her master’s degree in museum education from George Washington University in 1977. She also earned certificates from the Real Estate Institute at Temple University and the Barnes Foundation horticulture program. She held various positions in New York in the field of museum and arts education before moving to Philadelphia in 1980 and becoming a treasurer and property manager at Clinton Realty Investment Inc., where she worked for 22 years. She and Douglas lived in Washington Square West for a decade and moved to Chestnut Hill in 1990, where they raised their daughter, Emily.
Lois had a passion for gardening that extended beyond the verdant gardens she and Douglas kept at their beautiful home. As a Penn State Master Gardener, she spearheaded a movement to expand the Philadelphia County Edible Landscape Demonstration Garden at Fairmount Park from a 1,000 square-foot space to the expansive 5,000 square foot garden that it is today, located next to the Horticultural Center’s greenhouse, complete with planting beds, pathways, and seating areas. The garden aims to teach visitors about growing food in small, urban spaces. Lois contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to the garden every year, including fundraising, and was known for passing out fresh produce to garden visitors lucky enough to arrive during the harvest. She also served as a judge for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s annual City Garden Contest and hosted sponsored guests of the U.S. government at her home through the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia. She was a familiar face to many, having worked at Laurel Hill Gardens on Germantown Avenue for several years.
Lois is survived by her husband Douglas, daughter Emily, son-in-law Daniel Burns, and her many loving friends and relatives. In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be sent to Philabundance (www.philabundance.org).
