Thomas John Fisher

Rockaway Twp.:   Thomas John Fisher was born on March 21st, 1947 in Dover General Hospital, Dover NJ to loving parents John Thomas Fisher and Margaret (Hosking) Fisher.   With his two sisters Patty and Dot, he grew up in Wharton NJ, where as a young boy took up a paper route to be able to pay for going to the movies, snacks and what would become a lifelong hobby of model railroading.   In elementary school, he found another lifelong passion in music when he start playing the saxophone. Starting with the alto for a few years, he eventually transitioned to his preferred horn, the baritone sax.  He played in various bands throughout his life, gave music lessons and traveled as far as Denmark playing music.  In his younger years he enjoyed playing with friends, visiting his family in Mt. Hope and being an active member of Wharton Boy Scout Troop 66, yet another passion that extended throughout his life.  In his teen years,  he advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout and attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1964. Beyond that he became a junior leader and traveled to Philmont New Mexico for a two week backpacking trek.  In his early twenties, through mutual friends, he unexpectedly met the love of his life Mary Brunner, who he would go on to marry on September 16th, 1972.  Together they went on many adventures, hiking, camping, and spending time on Lake Hopatcong.  They rebuilt and added to his grandparent’s home in Mt Hope, where they reside to this day.  It was there that they became a true family when they welcomed and raised their two children,  Bethann and John.  The adventures continued with many more years of camping, hiking, trips to the lake to ride on the float boat and every Christmas in an annual tradition the lionel trains came back out to accompany the christmas tree.  Tom always put his family first.  He worked a job with nocturnal hours to allow him to be home during the day when his kids were growing up.  During that same time, he put his passions on the back burner to make sure his family had the support they needed.  In the mid 90s when his children were more grown, he managed to let some of his own passions back in.  He started playing the saxophone again and became a longtime member of the Mendham Community Band.  Also around this time, he had agreed to help out with the Wharton Boy Scout Troop (now Troop 67) but ultimately, helping out turned into him becoming the full-time scoutmaster for over a decade.  During his tenure he revived a troop that was near extinction, to one that was fully fledged, active and near unstoppable in the council’s annual Klondike Derby competition.  Under his leadership, he personally oversaw the advancement of nearly a dozen Eagle Scouts including his son John. In 1998, with a crew of his scouts, he returned to Philmont New Mexico for a 10 day high-adventure backpacking trek.  In the intervening years he continued to spend time with his family, taking camping trips to New Hampshire, and help his son build sets and props for his movies.  He even did some acting in them.  He retired in 2010 and with more free time, he joined and became a long time member of both the Jefferson Community  Band and Jazz band. A little later on he joined the Reeds Rhythm and All That Brass jazz band based out of Montclair NJ.  In 2011, Tom and Mary got in an RV and embarked on an epic two month National Park tour of the US.  In the years since, Tom had continued to enjoy time spent with family on the occasional camping trip, going for hikes, or at the house around the pool or campfire. On April 2nd, 2026 he welcomed his first grandchild Hudson John Fisher into the world. The days that followed, he was thrilled to see all the pictures and updates about his new grandbaby. On April 13, after a nine month health struggle, Thomas passed away peacefully in the presence of his two children.  

He’s survived by Mary, his wife of 53 years, his daughter Beth and her partner Raul, his son John and his wife Kimberly, his grandson Hudson, his sister Patricia and her husband David, his brother-in-law Francisco Martinez and two nephews Eric, Cisco and his wife Jess. He is pre-deceased by his parents John and Margaret Fisher as well as his sister Dorothy.

Visitation will be held 5-8pm on Thursday April 16 2026, at the Bermingham Funeral Home, 216 S. Main St., Wharton.  A Funeral Mass will be held 10am on Friday at St. Mary's Church in Wharton.  Interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Mine Hill.

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