OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

56 | FEBRUARY 1 • 2024 

F

ounder and longtime 
owner of Willoway Day 
Camp, Arnold “Arnie” 
Fisher was also a dedicated 
teacher, lifelong learner, loyal 
friend and loving husband, 
father, grandfather and great-
grandfather. After a lifetime 
committed to bettering the 
world and uplifting those 
around him, Arnie passed 
away on Jan. 18, 2024, at his 
West Bloomfield home. He 
was 93.
“He was one-of-a-kind,” 
said Lorraine Fisher, his 
wife of more than 66 years. 
“He was smart, he was 
funny and, most of all, he 
was fundamentally kind. 
We worked as a team, and 
he touched so many lives 
through his vision. His 
passion and his purpose were 
one and the same.”
Born in 1930 to Hungarian 
immigrants Joe and Flora 
Fisher, Arnie was raised in 
Detroit with his two younger 
sisters. A voracious reader 
from a young age, he attended 
Maccullough Elementary 
School, Durfee Middle 
School and Central High 
School while working part 
time at his uncle’s butcher 
shop. Following a stint at 
Michigan State University, he 
finished his degree at Wayne 
State University, majoring in 
education and psychology.
After graduation, he 
worked as a teacher and 
guidance counselor in 
Detroit, eventually moving to 
an administrative position. 
Throughout his career, he 
held numerous adjunct 
teaching positions at local 

colleges and universities and 
served as principal of the 
Livonia Jewish Congregation 
religious school. He did 
whatever was needed to 
support his growing family 
and achieve his goals, 
working multiple 
jobs in addition 
to creating a 
successful real 
estate management 
business.
Arnie met 
Lorraine Bittker 
on a blind date 
and proposed soon 
afterward. They 
were married in 
June of 1957 and 
created a loving 
home for their 
three children, Bruce, Carol 
and Jay. Their marriage was 
filled with love, devotion, 
mutual respect and frequent 
adventures. They enjoyed 
family gatherings, travel, 
music, theater and spending 
time with their large circle of 
friends. Lorraine was a true 
partner to Arnie, providing 
strength and wisdom behind 
the scenes. As their family 
grew to include grandchildren 
and a great-grandchild, 
Arnie’s joy expanded in kind.
“He taught us that ‘not my 
job’ is not an answer and to 
learn more, think more, read 
and live life thoughtfully,” said 
his grandson, Ben. “He made 
an immeasurable impact.”
After working as a staff 
member at Camp Tanuga, 
Arnie and his close friend 
Mickey Stern established 
Camp Thunderbird in 1959. 
Ten years later, Arnie and 

Lorraine founded Willoway 
Day Camp with Mel and 
Rita Seidman. To this day, 
the camp where “everyone 
is special” remains a haven 
of fun and friendship for 
multiple generations of 
campers and 
counselors.

CHAMPION 
OF KIDS
“Arnie championed 
the kids who were 
introverted, bullied 
or excluded,” said 
his son Bruce. 
“He believed in 
the importance 
of participation 
as opposed to 
winners and losers 
long before it was trendy. 
“If you needed help, he was 
the first to step in. He even 
wore a red shirt so everyone 
could easily find him.”
He was unconventional, 
exacting and intentional, 
never hesitating to dance 
enthusiastically or belt out 
his inimitable rendition of 
“Alouette” just to see the 
younger campers smile. He 
enjoyed talking in rhymes 
and collecting books, rare 
coins, canes, hats and over 
200 antique clocks. Although 
he did not typically cook, 
he was known for slicing 
watermelon with enthusiasm 
and grilling “Arnie Burgers” 
every Friday.
“He was first and foremost 
a teacher, a professor of life 
lessons, with the goal of 
making the world better and 
teaching others to do the 
same,” said his son Jay. 

For Arnie, every experience 
was an opportunity to teach 
and to learn, and he never 
asked anyone to do a task he 
would not do himself. While 
he was frugal, always looking 
for ways to save money and 
resources, he was not afraid 
to take risks. 
After 35 years, the State 
of Michigan acquired the 
original Willoway property 
at Beck and 12 Mile Road 
for a highway improvement 
project. At age 74, Arnie 
could have retired, but he 
chose to relocate the entire 
camp to its present location 
on Old Plank Road in 
Milford. Under his skilled 
management, the new 
construction was completed 
by opening day of the 
following summer.
“Thanks to Arnie, scores 
of camp counselors learned 
how to work with children, 
to leave things better than 
they found them, and to 
understand and value the 
magic of camp,” said friends 
and proteges Jonathon 
Koenigsberg and Jason Rosen. 
Arnie’s legacy is reflected 
in the countless messages 
sent by former campers and 
counselors who remembered 
their Willoway summers with 
fondness and gratitude.
“We knew he touched 
thousands of lives, but 
we are all humbled by the 
outpouring of emotions, 
memories and inspirational 
stories from all over the 
world,” said his daughter 
Carol.
Arnie Fisher is survived 
by his wife, Lorraine; 

Professor of Life Lessons

RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Arnie Fisher

