Ralph G. (Jerry) Fisher
Ralph (Jerry) Fisher, attorney and retired Presiding Judge of the Santa Barbara Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2025, with his devoted wife, Barbara, by his side.
Born on January 9, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, he was the youngest of three children and the only son of Robert Earl Fisher and Mary Cramer Fisher.
Growing up in a family that frequently relocated, Jerry lived in several places during his youth—including Toledo, Ohio; Tucson, Arizona; and ultimately San Jacinto, California—attending four different high schools. This nomadic upbringing helped him develop a gift for making friends easily, a trait that served him well throughout his life.
While in high school in Tucson, Jerry discovered his passion for baseball and country music. He joined a country band that performed at county fairs and private events—including one attended by the 1948 World Series Champion Cleveland Indians. He also found a love for theater and acted in numerous productions throughout the Tucson area. This passion led him to the renowned Pasadena Playhouse School of Theatre Arts, where he studied alongside notable actors.
Although Jerry’s Hollywood career never materialized, he pivoted toward academia and transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. It was at UCSB that he met the love of his life, Barbara Smith, a fellow student. They married in 1958 and moved to Los Angeles, where Jerry earned his law degree from Southwestern Law School. They soon welcomed three children—Michael, Karen, and Kathryn.
In 1966, the family settled in Santa Barbara, where Jerry began his legal career. His strong reputation in the field led to his appointment as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in 1972, and eventually to his role as Presiding Judge of the Santa Barbara Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board in 1981, a position he held until his retirement in 1997. Even after retiring, Jerry continued to work as an attorney with the law firm of Griffin & Griffin and served as an arbitrator and mediator in Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board cases. He was widely respected and deeply admired by colleagues and peers alike.
Jerry is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara; their three children and spouses—Michael R. Fisher (Janine), Karen Fisher-Vanden (Joel), and Kathryn Randmaa (Matthew); and seven cherished grandchildren—Tara Finley (John), Jewel and Jillian Fisher, Kurtis and Jack Randmaa, and Nicholas and Kelly Vanden. He was also the proud great-grandfather of Charles, Jasper, and Briar Finley.
His family will always remember his knack for picking up a guitar and breaking into a Willie Nelson song without warning, and his flawless recitations of Shakespearean monologues delivered at the drop of a hat. They will also treasure memories of a special family trip to Normandy, France, for his 80th birthday—where he explored the World War II battlefields he had long studied as a passionate World War II enthusiast.
In honor of his legacy, the family will continue the tradition of parking in what they fondly call “Jerry Spots”—the farthest spots in any parking lot, chosen to avoid door dings.
To quote Shakespeare’s Hamlet:
“He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.”
Per his wishes, no services will be held. Donations in his memory may be made to the Blood Cancer Research Fund at the University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, 3855 Health Science Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037.
