Fisher Family Genealogy

FISHER, Wayne Kenneth

FISHER, Wayne Kenneth

Male 1921 - 1940  (18 years)

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  • Name FISHER, Wayne Kenneth 
    Birth 3 Oct 1921  Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    CENSUS 26 Apr 1930  Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    • Attending school
    1930 US Census: E. D. No. 55-13, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL, p 2A
    1930 US Census: E. D. No. 55-13, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL, p 2A
    EVENT 3 Dec 1938  Chicago, Cook Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Wayne Fisher on honor roll 1938
    Wayne Fisher on honor roll 1938
    "In the Chicago Daily News last Saturday, listed among the greatest high school football players of Illinois, appeared the names of Wayne Fisher and Wallace Soule, tackle and half-back respectively of Coach Roscoe Scott's Blandinsville football team. It was one of the most signal honors ever accorded to Blandinsville grid men."
    CENSUS 22 Apr 1940  Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    • Highest grade of education: H-4
      Living in same house 1 Apr 1935
      Occupation: clear, dry store
      Working 60 hours in last week
      Weeks worked in last year: 20
      Income wages $100; Other income: yes
    1940 US Census: E. D. No. 55-12, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL, p 1B
    1940 US Census: E. D. No. 55-12, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL, p 1B
    EVENT 6 Jun 1940  Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Wayne Fisher gets U of I scholarship 1940
    Wayne Fisher gets U of I scholarship 1940
    "Wayne Fisher, son of Mr. and Mrs. O, B. Fisher, and first lieutenant at the Lyons Drug Store here, this week received a scholarship to the University of Illinois, and he plans to start to school there this fall." How he got from here to suicide in Albuquerque three months later is a mystery.
    Death 18 Sep 1940  Albuquerque, Bernalillo, NM Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7, 8
    • Cause of death: suicide
      "Verdict of coroner (unreadable) gun shot wound self-inflicted"
      Wayne's occupation listed as student, University of Illinois (though he died before attending)
      States body was taken by Robert Funeral Home of Blanddinsville IL on Sep 20 for "removal" to Blandinsville.
    • From obituary 26 Sep 1940: Wayne left Blandinsville on Sept 6 to supposedly hitchhike to the University of Illinois in Champaign where a football scholarship awaited. Instead hitchhiked to Springfield IL and stayed overnight at the Collins Hotel where her wrote note to his parents saying: "You won't hear from me for a long time, but I'll be all right. Wayne." From Springfield he apparently hitchhiked to Albuquerque -why Albuquerque is a mystery - arriving on Sep 17 and checking into a low-priced motel. That night or the next morning, he "put six cartridges in it (a revolver), lay on bed, put the barrel against his temple and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Again he pulled the trigger and still nothing happened. Five times the hammer clicked without firing a cartridge. But on the 6th attempt the gun worked. There was a muffled explosion which no one in the hotel noticed at the time. And Wayne was dead." His body discovered by motel staff the following day who alerted the Albuquerque police. The police could not identify him - he had resisted as Wayne Fisher of Albuquerque. The only clue to his identity was a serial number in the suit he was wearing made by a tailoring company in Chicago. The Chicago tailors linked the suit to Max Wilson of Blandinsville who sold the suit to Wayne. Vernon Roberts a local funeral director was dispatched to Albuquerque to ID the body and bring it home. Funeral services for Wayne were held at the Blandinsville Christian Church on Sep 22, Rev. Piety and Rev Demmel officiating. Wayne was remembered as having a thoughtful, quiet disposition, who he spent much of his boyhood in the woods. He was an excellent student, outstanding football player, and kind and considerate of those around him, with many friends.
    • From Albuquerque Journal article: "Roberts said Fisher suffered a
      head injury while playing football last year, according to A. J. Exter." Roberts was mortician sent from Blandinsville to claim Wayne's body and return it home. Exter was local mortician who cared for body in Albuquerque until Roberts arrival. Perhaps the head injury had something to do with his suicide?
    • A note on findagrave.com states: "For almost 50 years his grave was unmarked, until his classmates from the high school class of 1939 purchased a marker as a memorial of one of their favorite people. A dedication of the marker and a memorial service was led by Pastor Don Oftedahl, Victory Baptist Church in Macomb, Illinois."
    Death Certificate: Wayne Kenneth Fisher 1940
    Death Certificate: Wayne Kenneth Fisher 1940
    Obituary: Wayne Fisher suicide 1940
    Obituary: Wayne Fisher suicide 1940
    Youth (Wayne Fisher) kills self
    Youth (Wayne Fisher) kills self
    Burial 22 Sep 1940  Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Headstone: Wayne K. Fisher
    Headstone: Wayne K. Fisher
    Person ID I219  Main
    Last Modified 26 Jan 2023 

    Father FISHER Orville Benjamin,   b. 24 Aug 1873, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Jun 1958, Prairie City, McDonough Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Mother RAY, Minnie Leona,   b. 18 Jul 1898, Fulton Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jan 1964, Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 65 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Marriage 12 Apr 1921  Kahoka, Clark Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Marriage Certificate: Orville Fisher and Minnie Ray - 1921
    Marriage Certificate: Orville Fisher and Minnie Ray - 1921
    Family ID F92  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 3 Oct 1921 - Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCENSUS - 26 Apr 1930 - Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEVENT - 3 Dec 1938 - Chicago, Cook Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCENSUS - 22 Apr 1940 - Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEVENT - 6 Jun 1940 - Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 18 Sep 1940 - Albuquerque, Bernalillo, NM Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 22 Sep 1940 - Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Photos
    Wayne Fisher 1939
    Wayne Fisher 1939
    Photo from 1939 Blandinsville High School yearbook

  • Sources 
    1. [S623] News articles: Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL, (Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL), 26 Sep 1940, p 3 (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S533] 1930 US Census, Illinois, (Ancestry.com), 26 Apr 1930, E. D. No. 55-13, p 2A (Reliability: 2).

    3. [S623] News articles: Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL, (Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL), 8 Dec 1938, p 3 (Reliability: 2).

    4. [S560] 1940 US Census, Illinois, (Ancestry.com), 22 Apr 1940, E. D. No. 55-12, p 1B (Reliability: 2).

    5. [S623] News articles: Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL, (Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL), 6 Jun 1940, p 3 (Reliability: 2).

    6. [S629] New Mexico death certificates, 1927-1945, (Familysearch.org), 18 Sep 1940, File No. 698 (Reliability: 3).

    7. [S623] News articles: Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL, (Blandinsville Star-Gazette, Blandinsville IL), 26 Sep 1940, p 1 and 3 (Reliability: 3).

    8. [S622] News articles: Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque NM, (Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque NM), 21 Sep 1940, p 7 (Reliability: 2).

    9. [S365] Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002, (Ancestry.com), 12 Apr 1921 (Reliability: 3).