Fairy Louise Fisher Delay, 88

Fairy Louise Fisher Delay, 88, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.

A memorial service will be conducted Friday, Aug. 26, from 1-3 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church at Sandpoint, Pastor Lori Morton will officiate. Light refreshments and Fairy’s favorite ice cream will be served.

Fairy was born on Sept. 8, 1927, in Wallace, Idaho, to Amanda L. and Arthur L. Fisher, the youngest of eight children.

After the family home was flooded in 1938, they moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Fairy graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1945. Following graduation, she worked as a clerk-typist at the Naval Supply Depot in Spokane and then as a bookkeeper at the Farragut Naval Training Station in Farragut, Idaho. In 1947, she returned to the Naval Supply Depot as a supervisor.

On April 10, 1948, she married Raymond Joseph Delay in Coeur d’Alene. They were married for 59 years before Ray passed away in 2008.

Together they owned a 1,335-acre farm at Careywood, Idaho, where they raised cattle, hay, grain, and operated a Grade A dairy farm. They also owned and operated Ray’s Supply Store, which sold feed, grain, and farm products from 1950 until 1967.

She was very active in a number of community, state and national organizations. Fairy was a member of the Careywood Sew & Sew Club between 1952 and 1990, serving as president, secretary, and treasurer at different times. She held a variety of offices in the Careywood Community Club, Southside PTA, and Westmond Grange.

Fairy was an active member of the Bonner County Cowbells and held offices in the Bonner County Tax Protection Association and Bonner County Farm Bureau. She served as coordinator and president of the Bonner County Dairy Wives Association.

Fairy was a Bonner County 4-H leader for three years and was a Bonner County Fair superintendent between 1981 and 1992. She also was a member of the Bonner County Extension Food & Nutrition Committee for three years.

Fairy served as an associate supervisor, historian and auxiliary over the 30 years that she was a member of the Bonner County Soil Conservation District.

At the state level, Fairy was a member of the Idaho State Dairy Wives Association, serving as its president for two years. She was also a District 1 representative for the Idaho Association Soil Conservation District Ladies Auxiliary for nearly 30 years.

Fairy was an active member of both the Idaho-Washington and the Panhandle Lakes Resource Conservation & Development Councils. In addition, she was a member of the Coeur d’Alene Art Association and the American Tree Farmer Association, often combining both passions in her oil paintings.

She was very proud of her 33 years as hostess of the Idaho State Forestry Contest for which she was the honorary chairman in 1995. In 1999 she also received an appreciation award from the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce North Idaho Timberfest.

At the national level, Fairy participated in the Western Resource Conservation & Development Association between 1980 and 2002. During that time, Fairy served as secretary for 11 years, and historian for 22 years.

For her services, she received the Outstanding Service Award in 1987 and Distinguished Service Award in 1993.

Fairy was also a member of the National Association of Recourse Conservation & Development Council, receiving the Volunteer Service Award and a Nation Association Conservation District Outstanding Conservation Award for her participation.

Fairy was a member of the First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint. Her hobbies included photography and oil painting for which she won several awards at the Bonner County Fair and other artistic venues.

She is survived by two sons, Eugene (and Rona) Delay of Colchester, Vt., and Raymond (and Linda) Delay of Sandpoint, Idaho; and seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by a sister, Violet Wagner of Bremerton, Wash.

Her husband, parents, and four brothers and two sisters preceded her in death.

The family suggests that memorial may be made to the First Lutheran Church, 526 S. Olive, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

Family and friends are invited to sign Fairy’s online guestbook at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.