Max J. Fischer
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