Floyd A. Fisher

Floyd A. Fisher, 82 of South Onondaga, New York passed away on Sunday, May 25, 2008 following a brief battle with leukemia. He was born in Canastota, New York, the son of Albert and Nellie Fisher. Floyd graduated from Canastota High School and started his dairy career on his fathers farm. He was married to Helen (Abbott) for 45 years; she predeceased him in 1994. He lost his right hand and forearm in a farm accident in 1951 but persevered to return to dairy farming and became a successful and well-known Central New York dairy farmer for the next fifty plus years despite his handicap. He was active in numerous agriculturally-related committees in Madison County prior to moving to Onondaga County in 1954. Floyd was a dedicated community leader and an inspirational member of the dairy and agricultural industry. He modeled strength of character, devotion to family, and a commitment of service to others. He was a member of South Onondaga Volunteer Fire Department since 1955. Floyd is the only member in the Departments entire history to hold all executive and line officer positions including Chaplin; served as Chief or Assistant Chief for 14 years, and until recently served as a Fire Police. He was a communicant of Corpus Christi Church, South Onondaga, served on the Church Council and has been its Trustee for many years. Floyd was a member of New York Farm Bureau, Holstein Freisian Association, Dairylea Cooperative, President and Director of Onondaga County Holstein Club, State Holstein Association Director, Director of Onondaga County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Director of Federal Land Bank of Central New York, served as County Agricultural Districts Committee Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Community Committeemen and Committee Chairman. He started showing registered Holstein cattle as a 4-H Club member, continuing into the 1980s, winning numerous awards, trophies and ribbons. He had installed or implemented every kind of soil conservation practice possible on his farm including tiling, strip-cropping, diversion ditches, animal waste storage lagoon system, no-till and minimum-tillage cropping. He was awarded the Silver Cow Award by the Onondaga County Dairy Committee as recognition for outstanding contributions to Dairy Agriculture; he received the ASCS Group Award for County Committee and Office Staff Outstanding County of the Year Award, the ASCS Award for Participation on ACP Formula Task Force, the ASCS Award for Outstanding Agricultural Leader and Administrator in ASCS Farm Programs, the Outstanding Service to Agriculture from New York State ASCS, and the Northeast Area Service to Agriculture Award in Washington, D.C. in January 1981. Floyd is survived by his four children, Don and his wife Lori, Dave and his wife Trish, Doug and his wife Susan, all of South Onondaga, New York and Charlene Baxter and her husband Doug of New London, New Hampshire; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He leaves a sister, Mary Ramsdell of Canastota, New York and a brother Richard "Dick" Fisher of Charleston, South Carolina; he was predeceased by his sister Margaret "Peg" Clark of Cazenovia, New York in 2007. Floyd also leaves his dear friend and companion, Nancy Richards of Skaneateles, New York. Services: Thursday, 9:15 a.m. at Ballweg & Lunsford Funeral Home, 4612 S. Salina St. Syracuse and a Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Michael's Church, 4782 W. Seneca Tnpk, Syracuse. Burial: South Onondaga Cemetery, Makyes Road, South Onondaga, New York. Calling Hours: Wednesday, May 28, 2008, 3:00 7:00 p.m., at the South Onondaga Fire Department, 3130 Cedarvale Road., South Onondaga, New York. Contributions: Corpus Christi Church, 3120 Cedarvale Road., Nedrow, New York 13120 or South Onondaga Fire Department, 3130 Cedarvale Road, Nedrow, New York 13120.

Floyd A. Fisher

August 23, 1925 - May 25, 2008