Shelley Fisher

Shelley Fisher passed away peacefully, Nov. 19, 2014. She was born the fourth of five children to John (Jack) and Marion Sprague, June 14, 1951, in Holyoke, Colo. For years, her older siblings had her convinced that the town put out flags every year just for her birthday (Flag Day). She was active in school band and was the majorette. It was one class though, that set the path of her future. During her first home economics class, Shelley’s talent with fabric came to light. She made all of her own formal dance attire, always bucking convention with her selections of fabric and styles. She was a member of the All American High School Band. They toured Europe between high school and college, where she amassed a prized collection of toilet papers from each city she visited, almost getting arrested in Scotland for taking “public property.”

She attended college at Colorado State University and earned a degree for teaching. While at CSU, Shelley made many life-long friends and met her husband, Jerry. They were married July 29, 1972, for which she made both her wedding dress and her sister’s gown. They followed friends, who had related Montana’s beauty to them. Jerry visited three communities, and only Libby greeted him and welcomed him. Shelley worked several jobs including at the Gopher Inn, before beginning a long, productive career in 1975 teaching Home Economics in Libby. She taught three generations of students. She had always been pulled to the students who needed a little more love to get them through, and her strength and belief in her students has had an impact that has reached all corners of the world.

In 1978, Jerry and Shelley welcomed their first daughter, Sara. On Shelley’s birthday in 1981, their second daughter, Carla, was born. They raised their children in Libby, becoming active in their activities, especially 4-H and Speech and Drama. She became a member of the Lincoln County Fair Board, and didn’t miss a livestock weigh-in for almost 20 years. She looked forward to the fair every year, even scheduling her surgery so that she would be out of the hospital in time for the fair. Shelley has coached the Speech and Drama team for the last 15 years and was voted the State Coach of the Year in 2008. She joined the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild, and was voted Quilter of the Year. Shelley became the teacher of the Jobs for Montana Graduates course, and it quickly became a passion for her.   In 1997, Shelley became a grandma, and her grandchildren became her passion. She looked forward to each holiday and her annual summer visits with them. She was determined to fight the cancer to see them grow up.

Shelley was preceded in death by her husband Jerry; her parents Jack and Marion; and her father-in-law Duane Fisher.

She is survived by her daughters Sara Ryder of Snohomish, Wash. and Carla Fisher of Libby; her grandchildren Marylynn, Grace, and Vanessa; siblings Jon (Bev) Sprague, Fallon, Nev., Judy (Jerry) Clore, Charlottesville, Va., Andrea (Will) Davis, Hudson, Colo. and Kirk (Janet) Sprague, Champion, Neb. She is also survived by her mother-in-law Elsie Fisher; brother-in-law, Jim (Noel) Fisher; and sister-in-law Joan (Lyndel); all of Ft. Collins, Colo.; former son-in-law, Steve Ryder; and family friends Susan and Mary Smith and Joe Papenleur.

Shelley will be greatly missed by her family, coworkers and the many students whose lives she touched. A memorial will be held in March. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home and Crematory in Libby.   Memories and condolences may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.