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Robert Fisk, former education dean
Robert S. Fisk, former dean of the Graduate School of Education, died June 20 in Lincoln, Neb., after a brief illness. He was 93.
Fisk was a UB faculty member for 26 years, serving as an acting vice president and as dean of the School of Education-now the Graduate School of Education—from 1953-67. He retired as a professor in the Department of Educational Organization, Administration and Policy in 1979.
A native of Coleraine, Minn., Fisk received a bachelor's degree from Grinnell College, a master's degree from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate from Columbia University.
During World War II, he served as an officer in the Navy, where he taught navigation.
Before coming to Buffalo, Fisk taught high school math and was a high school principal. He also was a professor of school administration at the New York State College for Teachers in Albany and at Syracuse University.
Fisk served on the board of many organizations in the Buffalo area, including Neighborhood House, Planned Parenthood, Housing Opportunities Made Equal and Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst. He was active in working toward the desegregation of the Buffalo Public Schools and for 20 years owned and administered Camp Blue Heron, an environmental camp for young people in Ontario.
Fisk also served as a consultant on teacher education in six countries before completing his career as dean of education at the University of Calibar in Nigeria.
After retiring, Fisk and his wife of 68 years, the former Jeanne Bishop, lived in Springfield, Ill., for 15 years before moving to Lincoln earlier this year to be near their daughter.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst, 6320 Main St.