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particular, is quite the “melting pot.”


Fishers enjoying change of scenery O


KLAHOMANS are a diverse bunch. Take a mo- ment to visit with a neighbor or two and you’ll likely discover that northeast Oklahoma, in


Of course, some people live here because they were


born here and love it enough to never leave. Others land here in search of opportunity. Still others find them- selves ready for a slower pace of life and make this a retirement destination.


Chuck and Letha Fisher count themselves among those who relocated after experiencing the area during previous visits. Grand Lake had for them always been a refuge. Chuck’s mother, Arminta Fisher, had the lake house since the late 1980s and it was always nice to break away from their busy lives in Kansas City for a few days. Five years ago, the Fishers grew tired of life in the


city, pulled up stakes and headed for Grove, Oklahoma. They made a decision to relocate to northeast Oklahoma permanently. Letha’s career had ended abruptly and Chuck suggested the couple might benefit from a change of scenery.


A professional photographer by trade, it didn’t take Chuck long to feel right at home surrounded by the abundance of natural beauty. Grand Lake provided the perfect canvas for his creative skills. Wildlife is abundant here and his shutter has captured much of it—from eagles on the wing to pelicans descending on the lake for a brief stopover along their migratory journey. It wasn’t long before Letha found a diversion to


occupy her time. The owner of an antique market she and Chuck had met during previous visits was selling the business. The Fishers decided that ownership of Antique Alley was a good fit. Although she was not an antique collector or expert, Letha immersed herself in the business and quickly learned what she didn’t know. She admits the learning process is ongoing. She and Chuck enjoy attending sales and auctions and bringing collectible items back to the 8,000 square-foot shop for sale to the public. Chuck found his calling while enlisted in the U.S.


Army, where he served from 1972-1982. He was a tele- communications tech in the Army’s intelligence division, stationed in Augsberg, Germany. He was required to have a second specialty field and photography had caught his eye.


4 Northeast Connection


Chuck and Letha Fisher are enjoying life on Grand Lake after arriving by way of Kansas City four years ago.


“I had been in several years and after a while, after


you achieve a certain rank, you have to have a second job specialty. I knew the army photographers and decided I wanted to be a photographer,” Chuck explained. Chuck learned from the best during his enlistment as a


student of retired Master Sergeant Thomas Hill, an Ameri- can who had earned credentials as a licensed master photographer in Germany. Hill had his own studio in Munich but spent time at Augsberg to provide instruction to military personnel stationed at the base. “He’s the person who really introduced me to profes- sional photography,” Chuck said of Hill.


Chuck was a sponge, soaking up every bit of knowl- edge Hill would share. He said Hill had a unique and very


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