2007
Max J. Fischer, 86, a physician who was the former chief of the ear, nose and throat division at Children's Hospital, died of
cancer Dec. 15 at his home in Washington.
A fourth-generation native Washingtonian, he graduated from Wilson High School and the University of Pennsylvania. After
graduating from Georgetown University Medical School in 1946, he served in the Army and was based in Tokyo. He was the
chief resident in the ear, nose and throat division at Tokyo General Hospital for two years. Dr. Fischer returned to Washington
and worked for two years as chief resident at Georgetown University Medical Center before taking over the ear, nose and throat
practice of his uncle, Aubrey Fischer. He worked there for the next 55 years and retired this spring.
In addition to running the otolaryngology division at Children's, he also was director of the speech and hearing department and
helped establish the hospital's first school for autistic children.
He was an attending physician at Washington Hospital Center and was clinical assistant professor at George Washington
University Hospital.
Dr. Fischer volunteered at D.C. General Hospital, the Glendale Sanitarium, the Hebrew Home for the Aged and the Hospital for
Sick Children. He was president of the Georgetown Clinical Club. He was a lifelong member of the Washington Hebrew
Congregation and served two terms on its board. He was also a board member of the Hawthorne School, the Watergate
cooperative and the Cathedral Avenue cooperative.
A longtime owner of racehorses, he became vice president of the Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners' Association and Harness
Horse International. He was also an active investor in regional real estate and movie projects.
His wife of 25 years, Joan Kaufman Fischer, died in 1973. His second wife of 33 years, Lorraine Harris Fischer, died in May.
Survivors include three children from his first marriage, Robin Page of Rye Brook, N.Y., Tony Fischer of North Bethesda and
Laurie Keller of Bethesda; three stepchildren, Jill Cohen and Wendy Katz, both of Washington, and Anthony Katz of New York; 14
grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
-- Patricia Sullivan