Millie's obituary
Mildred Marie Standal Fisher
September 22, 1936-December 23, 2025
After a long and wonderful life, Millie ran into our Lord’s arms on December 23, 2025 in Olympia, Washington. The fifth child of Elias Matias Stanley Standal and Elizabeth Violet Showalter Standal, Millie was born in Mason City, Washington where her dad was instrumental in building the Grand Coulee Dam.
Raised in Spokane, Millie met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Fisher at a mutual friend’s party. Equally smitten, the two lovebirds later eloped to Idaho with the secret mission of getting married by a justice of the peace. They were sent home to come back with the required blood test results! That problem settled, they went on to share 53 wonderful years of marriage. The two of them created a warm, caring home, where our stay-at-home Mama insisted on lively nightly family dinners for six around the kitchen table. Daddy was always on time. Together, they instilled the values of family, integrity, compassion, and most importantly, faith in the Lord. Bob went to be with the Lord in November, 2005.
Millie’s faith in God led her into getting involved in women’s ministries. She was very active in leadership with Women’s Aglow Fellowship serving as the northwest regional director over Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana traveling all over the country to speak at conferences and conventions. She also led local women’s bible studies at her church for many years.
After Bob died, Millie decided to never marry again. Twelve years later, at the age of eighty, she began to get lonely and committed only to wanting a male friend to dine and chat with occasionally. Well, Millie slipped and fell in love again, finding love in Tom Wanless, whom she married in the summer of 2017. The two of them enjoyed 8 ½ lovely years of marriage and companionship.
Millie is survived by her sole remaining sibling, Dorthy (Jim) Backstrom, husband, Tom Wanless, her three children, Shelley (Dale) Warren, Lisa O’rrell, Kristi Brown, and her precious daughter-in-love Lisa Fisher (her son Terry’s wife); nine grandchildren and their spouses, and ten great-grandchildren. Preceding Millie in death are her beloved husband Robert Fisher, her siblings Norman Standal, Alfred Standal, and Loretta Lydig, and her son, Terry Fisher, who died just after Christmas 2024.
Millie’s greatest desire was that no one would perish without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. She even spoke to each medical person on staff she encountered in her 19 days spent at Providence St. Peter’s Hospital.
A celebration of life will be held January 17 at 1:00 PM at Crossroads Foursquare Church A private internment will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Millie’s home church, Crossroads Foursquare Church, 9231 183rd Avenue SW, Rochester, WA 98579. Please indicate your gift is in memory of Millie Fisher.
Her children call her blessed. Proverbs 31:28