| Name |
FISHER, Wayne Kenneth |
| Birth |
3 Oct 1921 |
Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL  [1] |
| CENSUS |
26 Apr 1930 |
Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL [2] |
|
|
 |
1930 US Census: E. D. No. 55-13, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL, p 2A
|
| EVENT |
3 Dec 1938 |
Chicago, Cook Co., IL [3] |
 |
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 [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
|
| EVENT |
6 Jun 1940 |
Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL [5] |
 |
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 [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
|
 |
Obituary: Wayne Fisher suicide 1940
|
 |
Youth (Wayne Fisher) kills self
|
| Burial |
22 Sep 1940 |
Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough Co., IL [1] |
 |
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 d. 9 Jun 1958, Prairie City, McDonough Co., IL (Age 84 years) |
| Relationship |
Birth |
| Mother |
RAY, Minnie Leona, b. 18 Jul 1898, Fulton Co., IL d. 30 Jan 1964, Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL (Age 65 years) |
| Relationship |
Birth |
| Marriage |
12 Apr 1921 |
Kahoka, Clark Co., MO [9] |
 |
Marriage Certificate: Orville Fisher and Minnie Ray - 1921
|
| Family ID |
F92 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Fisher Family Genealogy
1921 - 1940 (18 years)
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set