Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
For Immediate Release
November 17, 2025
United Methodist Church Mourns the Passing of Retired Bishop Violet L. Fisher
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United Methodist Church joins in mourning the death of Bishop Violet L. Fisher, a retired bishop and trailblazer in the life of the denomination. Bishop Fisher joined the church triumphant today, November 17, 2025, at Homestead Manor in Denton, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore where she was born and raised. She was 86.
Elected to the episcopacy in 2000, Bishop Fisher was assigned to the New York West Area, encompassing the Western New York and North Central New York conferences. She served faithfully until her retirement in 2008.
Bishop Fisher made history as the first African-American woman elected to the episcopacy in the Northeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church—a milestone that inspired generations of clergy and laity alike.
“Bishop Violet Fisher was a pioneer whose ministry broke barriers and built bridges. Her unwavering faith, prophetic voice, and deep compassion left an indelible mark on our church and on all who were blessed to walk alongside her. We give thanks for her life and legacy,” said Council of Bishops President Bishop Tracy S. Malone, the first African-American woman to hold that position in The United Methodist Church.
Born on August 29, 1939, in Easton, Maryland, Bishop Fisher was nurtured in a Methodist family and began her professional life in education. She earned degrees from Bowie State University (B.S.) and George Washington University (M.Ed.) and taught in public schools in Virginia and Maryland for 22 years.
Her call to ministry came at age sixteen, during a time when ordained ministry was largely inaccessible to women—especially within the Delaware Conference of the Central Jurisdiction. At age twenty-five, she was ordained by the King's Apostle Holiness Church of God and served as a National Evangelist and short-term missionary to East Africa, Haiti, and Jamaica.
Returning to The United Methodist Church, Bishop Fisher earned her Master of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia in 1988. She was ordained a deacon that same year by Bishop F. Herbert Skeete and an elder in 1990 by Bishop Susan M. Morrison.
Her pastoral appointments included:
- Associate Pastor, St. Daniel’s United Methodist Church (Chester, PA)
- Senior Pastor, Sayer’s Memorial United Methodist Church (Philadelphia, PA)
- District Superintendent, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, where she also served as Dean of the Cabinet (1998–1999)
She was a delegate to the General and Northeastern Jurisdictional Conferences in 1996 and 2000, leading her delegation, and represented the denomination at the World Methodist Council in Rio de Janeiro in 1996. She served as Dean of the NEJ School of Evangelism (1998–1999) and contributed to the work of the General Board of Church and Society, the General Board of Discipleship, and Older Adult Ministries. She also served on the Board of Directors of Eastern Baptist Seminary from 1997 onward.
When she was elected to the episcopacy in 2000, Bishop Fisher became an inspiration to the first African-American clergy and laity in the Northeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church.
“When Bishop Fisher was elected, she did not just make history—she made space. Space for women, for Black clergy, and for all those who had been told they did not belong. Her courage and grace continue to inspire us to lead with boldness and humility,” said NEJ College of Bishops President Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi.
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling, resident bishop of the Baltimore-Washington/Peninsula-Delaware Episcopal Area and the first Black woman to serve as president of the NEJ College of Bishops, reflected on Bishop Fisher’s legacy:
“Bishop Violet Fisher opened doors that many of us now walk through. Her election was not only a personal triumph but a communal victory for justice, equity, and the full inclusion of women of color in the life of the church. I stand on her shoulders with deep gratitude,” Bishop Easterling said.
The United Methodist Church gives thanks for the life and witness of Bishop Violet L. Fisher—a pioneer, preacher, and beloved servant of God.
Bishop Fisher is survived by her son, Marcus.
Funeral arrangements and memorial service details will be shared as they become available.
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