Obituary

Karen Roman Fischer Obituary
Karen Roman Fischer, age 67, a dedicated librarian and longtime resident of Mansfield, Ohio, passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday, November 10, 2024, with the support of Hospice of the Western Reserve. Born on September 20, 1957, in Middletown, Connecticut, Karen was the oldest child of Felix and Katherine (Biggs) Roman.

Karen graduated from Lexington High School with the class of 1975 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in History from Muskingum College, followed by a Master’s degree in Library Science from Kent State University. Her career began with the Social Security Administration in Cambridge, and she later worked at O’Neil’s Department Store (now Macy’s), where she met Geoffrey Fischer. Karen uncharacteristically made the first move, and they were married on May 9, 1987. The couple shared 37 years of love and partnership. They settled in Mansfield where they raised their two children: Katherine and Matthew.

Karen was a librarian with the Mansfield Richland County Public Library for over two decades, first serving as an Audio Visual Librarian before becoming part of Collection Development. In this role, she curated the library’s music and DVD collections, leaving a lasting impact on generations of readers and viewers. An avid reader, she particularly loved cozy mysteries and was fascinated by English history and the British Royal family.

Karen was a devoted animal lover with a special fondness for cats—her husband, despite being allergic, was the first to bring home a stray, opening the door to many feline rescues over the years. She was also a member of the Columbus Zoo, where she found joy in her love for animals, capturing countless photos of her favorites.

A private person at heart, Karen’s love language was simply “being there”—she treasured spending quiet time with family and friends.. She had a remarkable memory for dates and details and amassed a beloved collection of dolls, including American Girl dolls, Barbies, and more. Her co-workers became dear friends, and they enjoyed outings and theater together.

Karen is survived by her loving husband, Geoffrey Fischer; her daughter, Katherine Fischer, and son, Matthew Fischer all of Mansfield and all of whom loved her dearly and were instrumental in her care; her younger brothers, Donald (Barbara) Roman of Hilliard, Ohio, and Robert Roman of Mansfield; her brothers-in-law, Robert (Kathy) Fischer of Dublin, Ohio, and Daniel (Laura) Fischer of Mansfield; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and feline companions.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Felix and Katherine Roman, and her in-laws, Glenn and Lois Fischer.

Family and friends are invited to honor Karen’s memory at Finefrock Chapel of Snyder Funeral Homes, 350 Marion Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio 44903, on Thursday, November 14, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Additional calling hours will be held the next day at Church of the Cross, 236 Otterbein Drive, Lexington, Ohio, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Mansfield Memorial Park in Ontario, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The V Foundation, 14600 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513, or online at v.org. For those who have not yet seen it, consider viewing Jim Valvano’s 1993 speech. His inspiring words were a comfort to Karen. He closed by saying that "Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever. I thank you and God bless you all."

Snyder Funeral Homes, Marion Avenue Chapel, is honored to serve the Fischer family. To share memories and condolences, please visit SnyderFuneralHomes.com.

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