Cambridge-Charles S. Fischer, 79 years old, of Cambridge,  passed away Thursday May 5, 2016 at the Gateway House of Peace home in Ballston Spa, New York.  He was the son of Charles and Gladys Fischer.  From the age of seven he was raised by his Grandfather and Grandmother, John and Mary Fischer, along with his Great Grandmother. Charles was a resident of Cambridge since 2012.

He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois where he attended the O'Keefe Elementary School, graduating from 8th grade in June of 1951.  He attended Morgan Park Military Academy in Chicago, graduating in June of 1955.  From there he went on to receive, in 1963, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Chicago, affiliated with the University of Chicago. He received his acting training there from the Goodman Memorial Theatre where he was a resident actor from 1958 to 1962.

He performed in many plays opposite well known actors such as Morris Carnovsky, Frances Hyland and Bramwell Fletcher.  He was in the 1965 film "Goldstein" directed by Philip Kaufman and Benjamin Manaster, which won the New Critics Prize at the Cannes International Film festival. He also appeared in a few TV performances.

Charles moved to New York City in the 60's where he opened an off Broadway theatre with friends from the Goodman Theatre.  Eventually he felt drawn to a different form of creativity and immersed himself in sculpting.  He built his own kilns and worked in the lost wax method casting his pieces in Bronze.  His last casting was done here in Cambridge in 2013.  It was the head of Christ, a wedding gift for his dear friends Whitney and Christian Apollon.

Parallel to his sculpting Charles ran his own restoration company.  He was an expert wood refinisher and one of his most renown projects was the restoration of a Stanford White building on 54th St in Manhattan. It had originally been commissioned by Rockefeller for his wife's doctor but had passed through the hands of many different owners by the time Charles was hired to bring it back to its original glory.

Charles was a brilliant, well read man with many interests, but, more than that, he was a great human being who gifted everyone who knew him.  He was a true gentleman and a modern day renaissance man.

He had no siblings and never married. His friends were his family.  His legacy of humor, wisdom, compassion and tolerance will live on through them.

There will be a memorial service for him at the home of Michael and Nancy Palazzo, 33 Johnson Rd, Cambridge on June 18th at 1pm.  All are welcome.  Donations in Charles' name may be made to the Gateway House of Peace, 479 Rowland St., Ballston Spa, NY  12020 or to Community Hospice of Saratoga, 179 Lawrence St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.