Part 3 of a 5 Part Series
Clarksville, TN – Mickey Fisher was adjusting to college life, and playing basketball with “Fly” Williams. Austin Peay State University and the Clarksville community was attracting national attention. During all of this change and excitement, someone caught his eye.
Mary Hopson had graduated from Clarksville High School two years ahead of Mickey. They knew who each other was in high school, but because of their age difference, they never dated. Mary was one of three children from a regular,hard working, go to church on Sunday family. Very close to her father, with a couple of ” over-protective” brothers and a mother who could cook like nobody’s business, Mary Hopson was raised just like Mickey Fisher. Their families never had a lot of money, never had all the latest “things,” they just made the best out of what they had, and they were happy about it.
During the summer of 1973, on July 18th, Mickey stopped by the “Little Red Barn” after work, where he knew Mary was at cheerleader practice, and asked her out on a date. They went to see the movie “White Lightning” at the Roxy Theater. That was on a Thursday night. On Friday night, Mickey had a date with another girl that he had already made.
Mary didn’t like the idea that he was on another date, so she went to the lake with her parents for the weekend so she wouldn’t have to think about it. Saturday morning, guess who shows up at the lake?
Mickey Fisher.
Mickey and his best friend, Dave Aaron, Jr, drove to the lake, because Mickey knew that Mary was “someone special.”
Mary remembers, “I can tell you right now, I knew he was the one for me on our first date. I fell for him, hook, line and sinker.”
Mickey and Mary were virtually inseparable from that day forward and on her birthday in 1976 they were engaged. On July 23rd, 1977, Mary Hopson and Mickey Fisher became husband and wife.
“We just had so much in common, said Mary. We believed in the same things, we wanted a family we could raise the same way we were brought up. Both of us were health and physical education teachers, there was just so much we shared together.”
Sally and Keith Peterson describe Mickey and Mary as ‘Absolute best friends. They were happy with what they had, they lived within their means, and didn’t envy anyone. They were the happiest two people together we ever knew.”
Keith Peterson describes Mickey Fisher as “The most honest man I ever knew.”
Longtime friend Rosamond Briggs remembers traveling with the Fishers when their husbands played softball:
Sally Peterson remembers, “We would go to Guthrie Kentucky, to this simple little restaurant, and order their flat-iron steak special with all the trimmings, for $9.95, and to Mickey and Mary, you would have thought we were at a world renowned steakhouse. Mickey loved that place.”
Rosamond Briggs recalls a fishing trip with Mickey and Mary, along with another couple, and “all three women were pregnant, and we got into the boat, and my husband forgot to put the plug in, and as soon as we pulled out of the slip, the boat started taking on water. Mickey laid his head on the bow of the boat and laughed so hard he cried. He loved to laugh.”
Friends say they never heard Mickey raise his voice to Mary, and not a single person I interviewed about this series could ever remember them arguing.
Mickey and Mary Fisher raised three boys. Hunter, Brett, and Ryne, and being a father was the greatest joy in Mickey Fisher’s life, just like HIS father. Their life was all about family.
Friend and golf partner, Bob Cartwright said, “When Mickey and I were on the golf course, we talked about all the challenges we were facing raising our sons. We shared what was going on in our life, and helped each other through some very difficult times. It was the best therapy a man could get, to have somebody like Mickey Fisher you could count on and share your life with.”
Mickey Fisher was in his element when he was working with young people. As a coach, as a father, on and off the golf course, Mickey was setting the example, and helping young people learn what life was all about. Mickey Fisher was the epitome of class and character.
Tomorrow, how golf became the sport that forever linked Mickey Fisher to his father and his son, and the junior golfers who are learning life’s lessons through a program that Mickey and Mary Fisher helped create.
The Mickey Fisher Memorial Golf Tournament is Saturday, July 7th, at Cole Park Golf Course.
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