Deacon Paul Fisherkeller known for ‘gentleness and kindness’ in ministry

By Sean Gallagher

Deacon Paul Fisherkeller, a retired permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, died on Feb. 23 in Greenwood. He was 77.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Feb. 28 at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis. Burial followed at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Greenwood.

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson was the principal celebrant of the funeral Mass. Deacon John Jacobi was the homilist.

Deacon Fisherkeller was ordained a deacon on June 24, 2017, by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. He was a member of the archdiocese’s third class of permanent deacons.

Deacon Jacobi was ordained with Deacon Fisherkeller in 2017. More than 20 years his junior, Deacon Jacobi grew close to him during their five years of formation prior to their ordination.

“He was kind of a wisdom person that you were naturally drawn to,” said Deacon Jacobi. “We were blessed to have several conversations about being called to be a deacon and how there are sometimes feelings of not being worthy of it. Yet, there’s still a strong desire to answer God’s call.

“He had a certain gentleness and kindness in the way that he did ministry that I’d want to emulate.”

Deacon Jacobi serves as associate director of deacon formation for the archdiocese and also ministers as director of religious education at St. Bernard Parish in Frenchtown, St. Joseph Parish in Crawford County and St. Michael Parish in Bradford.

Father Timothy Wyciskalla, archdiocesan vicar for clergy, religious and parish life coordinators, served with Deacon Fisherkeller at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis from 2019-2024 when Father Wyciskalla was pastor there.

He described Deacon Fisherkeller as “dedicated, approachable, knowledgeable, and hard-working.”

“As a young priest and first-time pastor, I was grateful that he was at St. Mark when I arrived there, as I was able to learn a lot from him, particularly around ministry to seniors,” said Father Wyciskalla. “He had a love for the Church and a heart for service as a deacon.”

Paul Fisherkeller was born on Jan. 6, 1948, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, to Frank and Hazel Fisherkeller. He and his brother John were orphaned when both were young. They were subsequently raised by Don and Dorothy Maley of Detroit.

Deacon Fisherkeller married his wife Sandra, who survives him, on March 1, 1968, at Our Lady of the Greenwood Church in Greenwood.

During their marriage, he built a career in food service, working his way up from being a short-order cook to working as CEO of multiple successful restaurant chains and serving on the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association.

In this work, Deacon Fisherkeller dedicated himself to offering fair wages and improved working conditions for restaurant workers.

In the Church prior to his ordination, Deacon Fisherkeller served as music director at a parish in the Diocese of Lexington, Ky.

Following his ordination in 2017, Deacon Fisherkeller ministered until his retirement in 2024 at St. Mark, helping to lead its Order of Christian Initiation of Adults and serving its older parishioners, the homebound and those in hospitals. He also ministered as a spiritual director and to the sick at Community South Hospital in Indianapolis.

Deacon Fisherkeller is survived by his wife Sandra Fisherkeller, his children Elizabeth McLaughlin, Joshua and Paul Fisherkeller, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Teacher’s Fund at St. Mark the Evangelist School, 5441 Edgewood Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227. †