Obituary of William Donald Fissinger

4/23/1926 – 10/2/2014 William Donald Fissinger passed away peacefully on October 2 at the age of 88 in Hudson, Ohio. Bill lived a life guided by faith, filled with love, and dedicated to the service of all around him. A firm believer in the active presence of God in our world, Bill aptly died on the feast day of the Guardian Angels. It would be hard to imagine a more elegant blend of intellect, charm, childlike enthusiasm, strength, and spirituality. In a career as a professional fundraiser that spanned fifty years, Bill was nationally known as a trailblazer and mentor who helped establish best practices and maintained the highest standards of ethical integrity. After completing his BA in English and economics at Washington University, Bill began his fundraising career as Director of Public Relations at St. Louis University. In 1961 he moved to Cleveland to become Vice President for Development at John Carroll University, where his efforts advanced the university and garnered him national recognition. In 1976 he became Vice President for Development at University Hospitals of Cleveland. Among his many civic contributions, he was active in the Cleveland Foundation and served as Chairman of the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Health. He also enjoyed playing the tympani in the Shaker Symphony Orchestra for many years. Bill left Cleveland in 1984 to become Vice President for Development and Public Affairs at the Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center at Dartmouth College in 1984, where he served until being named President of the Northwestern Memorial Foundation at Northwestern University’s medical center in Chicago in 1992. In 1996, the year of his retirement, Bill was honored by the Chicago chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives with the Benjamin Franklin Award in recognition of a lifetime of achievement and mentorship in the field. Bill and his wife returned to Northeast Ohio in 2004 when they moved to Laurel Lake Retirement Community in Hudson. Bill was serving on the Laurel Lake Board of Directors at the time of his death. Above all else, Bill took utmost pride and joy in his family. He is survived by Margaret, his wife, partner in all his endeavors, and the love of his life for 63 years, children Matt (Rose Healy), Ann (Phil Jones), Mary (Bill Walsh), Peter (Colleen Walsh), Ellen Barrett and Julie (Kevin Mulcahy), sixteen grandchildren, his sister Ella Sheperd, and the cherished labor of his later life, his published works. Visiting hours are Friday, October 10 from 4:00- 8:00 PM at Redmon Funeral Home, 3633 Darrow Road, Stow, Ohio 44224. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary Catholic Church, 340 N Main St.  Hudson, Ohio 44236 at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 11.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name can be made to Family Connections of Northeast Ohio, 2834 Washington Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, or the Laurel Lake Foundation 200 Laurel Lake Drive, Hudson, OH 44236.