Christie E. Fischer

Christie E. Fischer, J.D. (née Thomas), of Zion, Illinois, passed away at home on February 23, 2026, at the age of 66.

Born September 5, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, she later made her home in Zion, Illinois. She previously lived in Wooddale and Bensenville, Illinois; Würzburg, Germany; Indianapolis, Indiana; and other locations. Christie married Christopher James Fischer on October 25, 1986, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

She graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 2005 and Barat College with a B.A. in history, magna cum laude, in 2002. She worked in the Law Offices of Fischer and Associates from 2014 to 2026, at Tempel Lipizzans as an Usher/Volunteer; in the Office of the State Appellate Defender from 2005 to 2013 as a Staff Attorney in the Expungement Unit; at the Law Offices of Chicago-Kent Richard Kling as a Clinical Instructor from 2003 to 2005 as well as a Research Assistant/Clinic Intern; at Westwood College as an Associate Instructor in Criminal Law and Legal Writing ; as an American Medical Association Services Representative; at White Hen Pantry, Inc. as a Loss Prevention Investigator; and for the United States Army from 1981 to 1985 as an Electronic Signals Intelligence Analyst.

Christie was at turns a soldier, actor, scholar, teacher, historian, equestrian, lawyer, chef, and many other roles in her lifetime. She was devoted to her friends and every Christmas season enjoyed gifting them with baked goods and dishes that she had specially prepared for them. Her sense of humor ranged from the wry and subtle to the ribald, and she loved to tell a story. Animals held a special place in her heart, especially dogs and horses; in their company, she found great comfort and joy. Protecting the defenseless and speaking up for the voiceless, whether human or animal, was a passion she held her whole life. She was a veteran, proud of her service in the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst. She loved books, movies, and growing things. She could be as tough as any drill sergeant and compassionate with her whole heart to someone in dire straits. She loved her family, and she will always be in our hearts. She was involved in the Illinois State Bar Association, the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County, the Lake County NAACP, the Lake County Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, the Board of Directors, the Englewood Institute for Civil Rights and Studies, the Black Law Student Association, the Student Animal Defense League, the Chicago-Kent Chapter, the American Civil Liberties Union, the United States Dressage Federation, and the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. Christie received many awards through her community involvement and employment: the Justinian Award for Service from the Lake County Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, the Certificate of Appreciation from the Rock Island County NAACP, the St. Joseph the Worker Award from the Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest, the Service Award from the Illinois House of Representatives (Rep. Constance Howard), the Army Achievement Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Army Commendation Medal.

Christie is survived by her husband, Christopher James Fischer, and brother, Gregory L. (Sherma) Thomas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Logan H. (Jessie E.) Thomas Jr. and mother-in-law, Mary Virginia Fischer.

Visitation will be held on April 18, 2026, starting at 11:00 am, with a memorial service to follow at 12:00 p.m. at Congdon Funeral Home, 3012 Sheridan Rd., Zion, IL 60099.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the following charities in Christie’s memory: The Standardbred Retirement Foundation (adoptahorse.org), BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding (braveheartsriding.org), Orphans of the Storm (orphansofthestorm.org), or Free Speech TV (freespeech.org)

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