F. M. (Bubba) Fisher, who is a Santa Rosa County icon in terms of dedicated service and commitment to his fellow citizens, passed away on Monday, November 30, 2015. He was 92 years old.
Rarely, if ever, has there been an individual who has made a greater contribution in terms of public service to this county than Fisher.
Looking back, one can easily see why he is honored today. His legacy will be the many years of service and successful leadership he provided along with the events that helped shape them.
Fisher was born in Milton in 1923 to the family of Henry W. and Minnie L. Fisher and enjoyed his youth while at the same time cultivating a healthy respect for the work ethic and responsibilities. Those values were always a part of his motivation and remained so throughout his career and retirement years.
Fisher graduated from Milton High School in the class of 1941 and worked for his father at the Fisher Bottling Company until December 8, 1941, a day after the United States entered the war with Japan. It was this day, just one day after war was declared, that he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served just a month short of four years in the Pacific Theatre. He attained the rank of Chief Signalman before leaving the military to enter civilian life again.
A private citizen again, he bought the Fisher Bottling Company from his father in 1946 and marked another milestone in his life with his marriage to Mildred Craig from Crestview in July of that year. He and Mildred reared two sons, F. M. (Dusty) and the late Marshal Craig. Spiritual values were always an important part of the Fisher family life and they were life-long members of the First Baptist Church of Milton.
Fisher served two terms as a Milton City Council member, two terms as a Santa Rosa County Commissioner and four and a half terms as Santa Rosa County Proper Appraiser.
Those Property Appraiser days in the 1970s were some of his most productive, economically speaking, the county had ever experienced and resulted in a never before (*or since) cash contribution to county coffers. He successfully prosecuted and won lawsuits against five of the largest oil companies in the nation in his effort to collect severance taxes for the county.
Millions of dollars for the county and school board was the results of that litigation involving giant corporations including Shell, Amoco, Exxon, Mobile and Louisiana Land & Exploration. Fisher always said, in his estimation, the money was well spent in following years by public stewards for new schools, infrastructure and other worthwhile projects. It also resulted in a relaxation of or reduction of county proper taxes, a measure that was well received by property owners.
And another notable achievement marked up to the credit of Fisher is the constitutional amendment that dedicated the new title of Property Appraiser.
It’s easy to see why Fisher and his wife were so well thought of during and throughout his public service career. A native son, he succeeded in bringing both honor and resources to the people of Santa RosaCounty in his career of service, and he is noted for his integrity and concern in all matters both public and private.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Public servant Bubba Fisher dies at 92