The OAC community mourns the passing of Dr. Helen Fisher, who passed away on March 23rd, 2025.
Helen grew up in St. Catharines, attended Havergal College in Toronto and then proceeded to University of Guelph where she studied horticulture, achieving first her B.Sc. (Agr.) in 1970 and an M.Sc. in 1973 on the effect of thinning on DeChaunac hybrid grapes. Helen had a front row seat on the transition of the Ontario grape industry from labrusca to vinifera grapes in the 1980’s. She released two grape varieties: Vanessa, a semi-seedless table grape, and Vivant, a white wine grape. She continued her work in Vineland when HRIO was divested to the University of Guelph in 1996 as an associate professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture. While she officially retired from the University of Guelph in 2009, Helen remained very active in viticulture research.
Guests are invited to St. George's Anglican Church, 83 Church St., St. Catharines on Tuesday, April 8th at 10:00 am for a visitation followed by a Eucharist service at 11:00 am to celebrate Helen's life.