Soft country music played in the Cooks Auditorium at Mountain Christian Church in Joppatowne before the funeral service of Harford County Firefighter-EMS Wayne Fisher on Thursday morning. “Write This Down” by George Strait and “Alright” by Darius Rucker fell onto a quiet crowd of people transfixed by a slideshow of photos of Fisher: with his sons, with friends at a sporting event, and in his firefighter’s uniform.
Fisher, 47, died unexpectedly Feb. 6 during a shift as EMS provider with the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company. He worked at the company for the Harford Volunteer Fire & EMS Foundation since 2013 but began his career in fire service when he was a teen, according to Jennifer Chenworth, spokesperson for the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Foundation.
The ceremony began at 11 a.m., officiated by Deacon Charles Barnhart of Keysville Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carroll County. Barnhart said he considered Fisher his “best friend.”
Barnhart read from the Bible’s books of Ecclesiastes and 1 Corinthians. Harford County Executive Barry Glassman then stood up as the first guest speaker of the service and thanked Fisher’s family for sharing him with the community.
“We lift his memory up today and rejoice in his years with us,” Glassman said. “So Wayne, as we say in the fire service, well done thou good and faithful servant, till we meet again. May God bless his family and Harford County.”
Prior to the service, Glassman ordered the Harford County flag to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Thursday in honor of Fisher, according to a county news release, as did Gov. Larry Hogan for the U.S. and Maryland flags.
After Glassman spoke, Marcia Deppen, from the state’s emergency management department, presented a memorial flag to Fisher’s family.
Carolynn Chewning, the operations manager for the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Foundation, then spoke about meeting Fisher over 10 years ago at the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company and how “we worked with proficiency and pride.”
She eventually became Fisher’s shift manager and said he was an ideal employee – he had great work ethic, professionalism and respect for others. He would always pick up extra shifts and offer to switch shifts with his coworkers.
And although he could sometimes be a grump, Chewning said, Fisher was more like a “giant teddy bear.” She also noted his “lasting footprint” on the community.
“Your son, your father, and our friend was a true example of a hero,” Chewning said. “Know that he will never be forgotten.”
Linda Thomas, EMS chief of the Darlington Fire Company, recalled the day she met Fisher in January 2014. She said he didn’t smile and had a no-nonsense attitude. By the end of that day, she’d nicknamed him “Mr. Grumpy.”
Beyond that, Thomas said, Fisher was a “damn good EMT,” and a “gentle giant with a heart of gold.”
“We will heal and we will live,” Thomas said. “Why? Because that’s what Wayne would want us to do.”
Jere Christian, a 1st EMS lieutenant for the Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Company and a friend of Fisher’s, also had nicknames for him: “Fisher,” “Fish” and – similar to Thomas’ – “Grump.”
She recounted how Fisher loved to play golf and drink beer while doing so. She worked with him as an EMT for the Baltimore Orioles, and they would often try to schedule shifts to make sure they worked together.
“There’s not enough time in the day to accurately describe what Fisher meant to all of us,” Christian said.
Chris Heisler, president of The Honor Network, came to the service with the United States honor lag, a flag he was presented by the Texas House of Representatives after the 9/11 attacks that now travels the country to honor fallen members of law enforcement, the military and fire. The flag is only ever handled with gloves, and Heisler gave gloves to members of Fisher’s family.
Barnhart closed the service with final remarks, saying he wished they could have held onto Fisher “a little bit longer.”
“I’m not angry at God,” he said. “I’m just disappointed because it was too soon.”
While Fisher often came as grumpy, those who knew him will remember him for his kindness.
“He’s in a place where you don’t have to be grumpy anymore,” Barnhart said.
Following the service, Fisher’s casket was carried out of the church and through the honor guard of fire personnel and family members and placed onto a fire engine from Eureka, Pa., where he served as a volunteer firefighter concurrently. A bagpiper from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office played “Amazing Grace.”
Fisher was interred at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, followed by a repast at Martin’s Valley Mansion in Cockeysville.
The Darlington company’s Facebook page expressed thanks to the medic crew from Montgomery County and engine crew from Water Witch for filling in while their members attended the service.
According to the state medical examiner’s office, Fisher’s cause of death is still unclear and could remain spending for up to 90 days after his death.
Fisher, of Westminster, is survived by his parents, John and Mary Fisher of Silver Run; his brother Jason Fisher and his wife Ashli Klein of Littlestown, Pa.; his children, Lexie Fissel, and Andrew and Wyatt Fisher, all of Hanover, Pa.; as well as several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
