Page 4 - Illinois Sig - Spring 2016

Chapter Eternal
The Loss of Two Significant Sigs
Ben Chatburn Fisher ’48
Fisher was a preeminent Washington, DC
communications law attorney, died April
14, 2016 at age 93, nine months after his
beloved wife Jean W. Fisher, 88, passed
away. Ben’s legal career spanned over six
decades, a period in which communications
technology evolved from its nascent stage as
an AM radio standard broadcast service into
the expanded era of FM radio, television,
satellite and cellular radio services. He
counseled many of the largest and most
successful operators within the industry,
including the Sinclair Broadcast television
group, Hughes Communications for whom
he helped obtain DIRECTV’’s first license to
provide a direct-to-home broadcast service,
Ben (pictured right) with Grand Consul
Thomas Bell in 1989.
Randall Allan “Randy” West ’51
West of Peoria, passed away on October 30,
2015. He was 86 years old. Randy was very
proud to be a Sigma Chi. He wore his Sigma
Chi ring throughout his life and cherished
the brotherhood. He served as Consul and
various other offices at Kappa Kappa.
Randy was President of the Student Senate
and played the drums in the Marching
Band. He received the honors of Skull and
Randy with his granddaughter fellow Sigs that were in town and
Grace in 2011.
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and continued to play
throughout his life. With
his wife’s encouragement
he took up downhill
skiing at age 40 and skied
and John Kluge in the European Alps and
obtaining his New
York City cellular the Colorado Rockies
well into his 80’s. Mr.
radio licenses. Fisher was also a master
After serving in
the U.S. Army during gardener. He maintained
an extraordinary rose
World War II, Ben garden at his home in
graduated Phi Beta
Kappa honors society Bethesda, and helped
cultivate the first roses that
from the University grace the Chevy Chase
of Illinois in 1948.
During college, he Club Rose Garden.
was awarded the Ben in 1948. Ben was a dedicated
International Balfour supporter of the Boys
Award, given each year to one graduating and Girls Club of Greater Washington for
senior who excels in scholarship, character, many decades and served as President of
fraternity service and campus leadership. Ben the Board. He was a lifelong active member
attended Harvard Law School where he served of the Rotary Club/D.C. serving in various
as an editor on the Harvard Law Review. He leadership roles. He was also a Sigma Chi
received his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude Foundation Trustee; his dad, also a Sig - was
from Harvard in 1951. He began his career as Grand Consul nationally.
a law clerk to Judge Learned Hand, U.S. Court
of Appeals, 2nd Circuit in New York City, and Ben Fisher was a devoted husband, father
eventually retired from practicing law at age 86. and grandfather. He is survived by two sons,
Richard Fisher and Rob Fisher (wife Cheryl
In addition to law, one of Ben Fisher’s Fisher) and three grandchildren, Max Fisher,
passions was tennis. He was a professionally Allison Fisher and Grace Fisher of Chevy
ranked tennis player in D.C. as a teenager Chase and Bethesda, MD
Crescent, Sachem, and MaWaDa at
the University of Illinois.
He met his wife of 62 years,
Mary Jane Corrie ’52, an Alpha Phi,
while attending University Christian
Church in Champaign. She survives.
He served on the House Corporation
Board for many years and enjoyed
coming to the fraternity house for
homecoming games and greeting
Randy always wore his Sigma Chi ring. Christmas 2012.
undergraduate brothers.
Randy graduated from the University the Peoria community in civic, charitable
of Illinois Law School in 1953 and was organizations and his church and held
President of the Law School Senior Class. He numerous leadership positions with them.
practiced law in Peoria from 1955-1999 with Randy enjoyed life, his family, traveling,
the firm Safford, West, Tornow and Jaeger. and was a man of character and deep faith.
Both sons Steve “Jerry ’77 and Dave At the end of his funeral service, Ed King, a
“Westy” ’79” were Kappa Kappa Sigs. Constantine Sig from Bradley’s Delta Rho
Brother Steve ’77 practiced law with Chapter, led a group of Sigma Chi’s in the
Randy in Peoria. Randy was very active in White Rose Ceremony.