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