ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of Martin Charles "Chuck" Fisher. 
March 16, 2022
March 16, 2022
So sad to hear of chucks passing. Thoughts & prayers to Debbie & family. Was a swimming councillor in 80 & 81. Remember chuck watching me teaching Eric to swim
November 6, 2021
November 6, 2021
I am just seeing this. I awoke from a dream about Chuck and Camp only to see this sad news. I was a camper from 66 to 69 and 71 and 72 and for about three weeks in 73 as a camper waiter and CIT. I was in Varsity Hall with Debbie's brother. In 71, Varsity Hall was overcrowded and Chuck came in the first night and offered any who would accept the opportunity to be in Bunk 20 and we would have special privileges for the summer. I will always remember how virtually each night we had kitchen privileges. As I read Bobby Hoffman's recollections, I am brought back to the day after Jim Morrison of the Doors died and my cousin Michael Cohen and Larry Goldberg took over the PA and attempted to play Doors music for 24 hours only to be stopped by Chuck when the bungalow colony next door had had enough of Light My Fire and others. Another time my cousin and Phil Kanner attempted to go to the General Store in Burlingham to buy soda only to be walking back to camp to be picked up by Chuck.  Camp Echo of the 60s and early 70s provided us with a respite from the rough world. I hope you will take comfort in knowing that so many will recall "Uncle Chuck" with such fond memories. Condolences from all the Cohens and I am certain the Weisses and Billy Morrison, (My Aunt was even a camper in the 20s or 30s). 
May 19, 2021
May 19, 2021
To Debbie and the family,
So sad to have just found out the news. I was a counselor from the UK at Echo in 1987 and 1992, and though I only knew Chuck for a total of about four months over those two summers, he was an influential person to me. Uncle Chuck as he was to all us counselors and kids, was respected by us all for his humor, and his humanity. I remember how well he dealt with one incident where a kid got fired from camp, another where a serious accident occurred in 1987 (counselors outside of camp) and the careful way he handled the situation. I wrote him after camp to thank him for that. But mostly I'll remember the fun times. Chuck doing the awards and announcements on the hill, the little service on Fridays, having a kid's birthday party in Chuck's trailer with all the bunk kids, movies and freshly made popcorn . I have some photos of those summers to always help me keep those memories. Thinking of you all, with thanks for Chuck's life, and thankful I was able to know him for a brief time.
April 23, 2021
April 23, 2021
To Debbie and the entire family,

I just learned of Chuck's passing and wanted to share my deepest condolences. I was a Camp Echo camper, CIT and counselor from 1959 - 1969. So of course when I read Amy and Eric's tribute here, I wanted to share that I have nothing but wonderful, amazing memories of Camp. Chuck was the boys' head counselor for many (all?) of my years there. I DO remember Chuck hitting softballs over the cabins with the bat in one hand! I remember Friday night services, the annual tradition of "breaking the Olympics." Gabe, Laura and Chuck's firm but loving hands as owners/leaders. One story I wanted to share: I was returning to my cabin one night, running like the devil to beat curfew. As I ran down the road, passing the lakeside weeping willows, towards the head cabin, a skunk appeared out of nowhere - it was dark, I barely saw it, tried to avoid it but stepped on its tail and got sprayed. As I walked with slumped shoulders past the head cabin towards my bunk (CIT, Bunk 7 I believe), Chuck stood on the porch and said, "Hoffman, you just beat curfew. Go take a shower and bury those clothes."

The last time I saw Chuck & Debbie was at a camp reunion in Florida several years ago. My love to all...Bob "Bobby" Hoffman
April 14, 2021
April 14, 2021
Martin “Chuck” Fisher. Thank you for being such a monumental figure in my young life and the lives of so many others. From blasting softballs over the trees and into the lake with pure joy, to letting underage me see Animal House and Friday the 13th at my big sister’s trailer parties, to consoling Matt and I when our grandfather passed away unexpectedly one summer, you were always there with a hug and a smile, doing whatever you could to ensure we were safe and happy every summer and making memories that would last our entire lives. Condolences to Debbie and your entire wonderful family. May your memory be a blessing to them and to all of us, always. 
April 6, 2021
April 6, 2021
What the Fisher Family created at Camp Echo was a treasure to behold. From their mind, soul and perspiration Chuck and Debbie gave us a summer retreat where both campers and staff had a place to not only have fun, but where we could learn and grow in a safe, supported atmosphere. I was lucky enough to have had the camper experience. I was even luckier to have the staff experience. Under Chuck and Debbie, I learned my philosophy on how to be an educator. It was an experience that served me well in my 40 years as a teacher, coach, and parent. I can not put into words how much Chuck and Debbie’s mentorship has impacted my life. Although he is gone, Chuck lives on in everything I do as a human. May his memory be a blessing. 
April 6, 2021
April 6, 2021
Thinking of Eric and all family as you honor and grieve the loss of a wonderful man.  Sincerely
April 6, 2021
April 6, 2021
Dear Debbie, Amy, Matt, Eric, Jessica and grandkids,
I am so sorry on the passing of Chuck. He was such a wonderful, kind and funny person... I still have memories of my kids at Camp Echo on visiting day seeing Chuck welcome all the parents. Although this is a time of mourning, I hope in the coming days, months and years you will remember all the fabulous memories Chuck has given you to share with everyone. My prayers are with all of you at this very difficult time. You are all blessed with the love of family and friends.
April 6, 2021
April 6, 2021
Debbie , Eric, and Amy,

   I am heartbroken over the loss of Chuck. May all your beautiful memories
give you strength and smiles over time. I am so thankful for the many wonderful years and friendships that Camp Echo provided for Matt and Greg
as well as thousands of other kids. Rest in peace, Chuck.
April 5, 2021
April 5, 2021
FISHER, Martin Charles “Chuck”
1944-2021

Martin Charles “Chuck” Fisher was a beloved and caring husband, father, uncle, and grandfather, a loyal and devoted friend, a successful small business owner, and a dedicated educator. Chuck was known by many as a caring leader and role model with an infectious sense of confidence. Although we lost him too soon after a sudden head injury, in his 77+ years, Chuck inspired and motivated many through whom his spirit will live on.

Chuck was born in Philadelphia on February 1, 1944 to Gabriel “Gabe” Fisher and Laura Fisher. Gabe was an immigrant (arriving at Ellis Island in 1910) whose family fled the Russian pogroms, and Laura was a first-generation American whose parents also fled religious persecution. Gabe and Laura, both educators and small business owners (founding Camp Echo in 1944), embraced and exemplified the American Dream, initially raising Chuck and his older sister, Irene Fisher Ruttenberg, in Philadelphia, and then moving to a home in the Wyncote neighborhood of Cheltenham Township. Chuck excelled in both baseball and football at Cheltenham High School. He often joked that people thought he was a really good athlete until a kid named Reginald, two years his junior, got to school. (Reginald “Reggie” Jackson starred in four sports at Cheltenham High, including batting .550 and throwing several no-hitters for the baseball team.) Chuck’s potential to play sports at the next level was hindered by shoulder injuries he suffered while playing football.

Chuck attended Pennsylvania State University to pursue an undergraduate degree in History. While his shoulder injuries precluded him from playing varsity sports at Penn State, Chuck became, and stayed, a Penn State sports fanatic. To this day, his car is Penn State blue and white and his license plate is “NIT LION” (a reference to the Penn State mascot, the Nittany Lion). To be clear, Chuck was not just a Penn State football fan; he passionately followed all of the school’s sports teams, and could equally discuss the progress of the women’s volleyball team, the men’s wresting team, and even the gymnastics and fencing teams.

After graduating from Penn State, Chuck earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Temple University. Around this time, Chuck began working closely with Gabe and Laura at Camp Echo, the children’s overnight camp they founded in New York’s Catskill Mountains. After moving to Long Island, New York, Chuck effectively worked two jobs: (i) as a History teacher at a public school during the day, and (ii) as an Assistant Director for Camp Echo at night and during the summer months. It was at Camp Echo that Chuck met a counselor named Debra “Debbie” Kofsky. What started out as a casual summer romance soon became a serious relationship eventually leading to marriage in 1974. In the ensuing years, Chuck and Debbie took over the business from Gabe and Laura. Together, they built Camp Echo into one of the most popular and well-respected camps in the area. At its apex, nearly 500 children per summer attended Camp Echo for eight full weeks.

Married to Debbie for nearly 47 years, Chuck was above all else a loving husband who was proud of his partner in life, and proud of the family and the business they worked on and nourished as a team. Several years after they sold Camp Echo in 2001, Debbie returned to work full-time as a school nurse and Chuck occupied his time as a substitute teacher and, in his words, a “consistently inconsistent” golfer. However, even on the days he taught or had an early tee time with friends, Chuck never failed to prepare Debbie’s lunch, routinely baked treats for Debbie and her colleagues, and often cooked elaborate dinners. 

Chuck loved his family and his friends. He was an adoring and inspiring father to his two children, Amy and Eric, and instantly developed meaningful and loving relationships with his son-in-law, Matthew, and daughter-in-law, Jessica. He doted over his four grandchildren, Gabriel, Joey, Brody, and Eva, and showered them with attention and kindness. Chuck was a pillar for his parents, his sister and her family, his nieces and nephews, and even his in-laws. Chuck shared his house with his in-laws for several months every year for decades, and worked with Debbie to care for his ailing mother-in-law in the final years of her life. Chuck also cherished his friendships. One such friend recently shared how Chuck’s daily calls to him while he was undergoing medical treatment helped him get through the grind—as that friend jokingly put it: “Chuck was very clear that he was not ready to lose me, and that I had a responsibility to him to survive.”

Chuck’s dogs were an ever-present part of his adult life. If you knew Chuck before his grandchildren were born, you would inevitably hear about Kara (a female Dobermann), Krystle (a female Golden Retriever), and/or Kasey (a male Golden Retriever). He loved his dogs, and they loved him. 

Chuck’s family extended well-beyond blood relations. While sometimes tough and intimidating with adults at Camp Echo (just ask any counselor who broke curfew), “Uncle Chuck” was like a big teddy bear for the thousands of campers over the years who looked to him for support and protection during the eight weeks they spent at Camp Echo each summer. There are too many anecdotes to share here, but many remember Uncle Chuck’s uncanny ability to remember every camper’s address, which he would use to covertly reprimand that camper in a large crowd without embarrassing him/her—“27 Bridle Path, if don’t stop talking, your entire cabin will lose canteen privileges!” Others may remember the towering home runs Uncle Chuck would hit over the Cabin Field cabins, all while holding the bat with only one hand. While Chuck led a life full of love from his family and friends, he will be best remembered for the impact he had on the many children, young adults, and camp colleagues with whom he spent his summers. Chuck was smart and opinionated, but was most impactful as a story-teller who united and inspired through oration. On the one hand, he regaled campers and counselors alike with lighthearted campfire stories of Princess Potch-un-Tuchus. But, on the other hand, he often guided impressionable children and young adults through fables about recognizing the beauty that we all possess within us (i.e., the story of the flawed diamond turned to a rose) and the importance of not spoiling one’s potential (i.e., the story of the prized cow and the milk bucket). The mottos that he not only lived but tried to instill in others were the importance of thinking things through and not sacrificing the future for the present.

Chuck lived a full life, and he fully appreciated that every day was a gift. He will be missed. In addition to Debbie, Chuck is survived by: Amy, Matthew, Joey, and Eva Singer; Eric, Jessica, Gabriel, and Brody Fisher; the Kofsky Family; the Ruttenberg Family; the Metzman Family; and the many “nieces” and “nephews” who knew him as Uncle Chuck.

There will be a small graveside service for family and friends on Wednesday, April 7. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the American Heart Association.

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Recent Tributes
March 16, 2022
March 16, 2022
So sad to hear of chucks passing. Thoughts & prayers to Debbie & family. Was a swimming councillor in 80 & 81. Remember chuck watching me teaching Eric to swim
November 6, 2021
November 6, 2021
I am just seeing this. I awoke from a dream about Chuck and Camp only to see this sad news. I was a camper from 66 to 69 and 71 and 72 and for about three weeks in 73 as a camper waiter and CIT. I was in Varsity Hall with Debbie's brother. In 71, Varsity Hall was overcrowded and Chuck came in the first night and offered any who would accept the opportunity to be in Bunk 20 and we would have special privileges for the summer. I will always remember how virtually each night we had kitchen privileges. As I read Bobby Hoffman's recollections, I am brought back to the day after Jim Morrison of the Doors died and my cousin Michael Cohen and Larry Goldberg took over the PA and attempted to play Doors music for 24 hours only to be stopped by Chuck when the bungalow colony next door had had enough of Light My Fire and others. Another time my cousin and Phil Kanner attempted to go to the General Store in Burlingham to buy soda only to be walking back to camp to be picked up by Chuck.  Camp Echo of the 60s and early 70s provided us with a respite from the rough world. I hope you will take comfort in knowing that so many will recall "Uncle Chuck" with such fond memories. Condolences from all the Cohens and I am certain the Weisses and Billy Morrison, (My Aunt was even a camper in the 20s or 30s). 
May 19, 2021
May 19, 2021
To Debbie and the family,
So sad to have just found out the news. I was a counselor from the UK at Echo in 1987 and 1992, and though I only knew Chuck for a total of about four months over those two summers, he was an influential person to me. Uncle Chuck as he was to all us counselors and kids, was respected by us all for his humor, and his humanity. I remember how well he dealt with one incident where a kid got fired from camp, another where a serious accident occurred in 1987 (counselors outside of camp) and the careful way he handled the situation. I wrote him after camp to thank him for that. But mostly I'll remember the fun times. Chuck doing the awards and announcements on the hill, the little service on Fridays, having a kid's birthday party in Chuck's trailer with all the bunk kids, movies and freshly made popcorn . I have some photos of those summers to always help me keep those memories. Thinking of you all, with thanks for Chuck's life, and thankful I was able to know him for a brief time.
Recent stories
April 28, 2021
Our girls Samantha and Rona started camp 1977 following their cousin Marc Rockower and had 4 wonderful years Our daughter Rona went back a few years after to work for Chuck and Debbie such happy me

My memories of Chuck Fisher

April 6, 2021
I would like to share my memories of Chuck.
I was a camper in the summer of 1974 at Camp Echo.
Chuck was a hell of a guy. I was all of 12 years old. He used to make pizza for the bunk that was rewarded with being the cleanest. We won 7 out of the 8 weeks. I remember one story very clearly though.  Chuck was very gracious and let us come up to his office to visit him and sometimes take a piece of Candy. One time though an emergency occurred. While we were standing outside his office he quickly noticed an unauthorized vehicle careening on the girls side. Chuck happened to have his gun holstered on his hip. I’ll never forget that.  He pulled it out and took off.
It was so obvious that he was there to protect everyone. He ran a great camp because he ran a tight ship with a Jewish tradition.
He was a caring, loving man.
As it turns out, my wife’s children, 
my step-children, were campers of Camp Echo as well. My Step-daughter Lisa is so connected to the camp that her 2 beautiful children, our Grandchildren, Harris and Alexa and my step-son Neil’s daughter, Lyla all became long term Camp Echoers. We wish Chucks family peace and solace in knowing that he touched so many lives and had a profound and everlasting positive effect on those who knew him.
David and Ronnie Goldstein 

April 6, 2021
Chuck Fisher holds a very special place in my heart. In 1994 I was 7 going on 8 when I began my first summer at camp echo. First time being away as a kid and of course was nervous. My stay and my time at camp echo was the best time of my life from the second I got off the bus. I had a special relationship with Chuck and all of you guys. I’ll never forget our talks as I’m coming off the tennis court and my trailer parties and all the special moments we shared. Because of him and the Fishe family the place I came to for 2 months every year was the best and most memorable times, which lasted until I was 20 years old. We still spoke on Facebook at times and he always checked in. He will NEVER be forgotten. My best to Debbie, Amy Eric and the entire Fisherfamily. ❤️❤️❤️ -Jared Berse

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