He was one of my mentors!
Besides my parents, I have had two mentors in my life that have taught me how to be the leader that I am today. One was Bette Cox and the other was Ken Fisher. Bette gave me the gift of Jr Miss/Miss Deer Park and Mr. Fisher gave me the confidence to be the leader that I am today with humor and light heartedness.
Ironically, I have been away for both of their celebrations of life. When Bette passed away almost 13 years ago, my husband and I had a trip to Reno planned to celebrate our 10th anniversary and now I am traveling to Mexico and will not be back for Kens celebration. I know that both of them would want me to go and enjoy life just like they had.
My respect for the man that Ken was is indescribable. He always appreciated my sense of humor and encouraged me to be the confident leader that I have become. I will never forget his natural sense of movement and the respect that he gave to each one of us.
A memory that sticks in my mind from high school with Mr. Fisher is quite silly. Sherry Prewitt (Donaldson) and I had spent most of our band time making up drill team routines and the time came for the spring concert and of course, being flutists, we were in the front row right in front of Mr. Fisher. He knew that we had not even practiced the pieces and he looked at both of us and said quietly, And now for a duet from Ms. Prewitt and Ms. Christoffersen. We knew he knew then!!!
He respected, he believed in and he held all of his students up to a standard that he knew was attainable.
Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to meet up with Ken and Nancy at Rosies Café in Deer Park. Every spring for the last few years, I would find them all tan and happy coming back from down south and I would always update them on my crazy family happenings. Ken and Nancy would laugh along with me and tell me I should write a book.
Ken, like his daughter Brooke, enjoyed laughter. I have been so fortunate in my life to know both of them and to laugh with both of them. I look forward to the day that I join them both as I know it will be a very happy moment.
May we all be as fortunate as he, with a family that loved him, a community that respected him, and memories that will last forever!!
All my Love, Peggy (Christoffersen) Coyle