Theresa Fischer

Theresa Fischer, 80, Bridgewater, N.J.

1942-2023

Beloved mother to seven, grandmother to 14, great-grandmother to two

Theresa Fischer (Chong U Yu) 80, of Bridgewater, N.J., passed away on Sunday, Jan. 22, at her home in Brandywine Assisted Living. Born in Masan, South Korea to Hyung Nok Yu and Myung Duk Han, Theresa emigrated to the United States in 1966. Theresa was very proud to become a U.S. citizen in 1971.

Beautiful, kind-hearted, honest and selfless are the words often used to describe Theresa. She lived most of her U.S. life in Sayreville, N.J. and resided in Hawaii for a few years. After her retirement, she moved to Pennsylvania near her eldest daughter, with whom she also lived with for five years.

She was formerly married to Frederick A. Fischer III of Brooksville, Fla. Together, they had seven children in a span of nine years. Theresa mostly enjoyed spending time with her family and in her spare time, watching action movies and professional wrestling for entertainment. She had many friends in her assisted living community and was loved by the staff.

Theresa was an incredibly hard worker and spent 22 years employed as a sheet metal worker at the former New Brunswick Scientific in Edison, N.J., where scientific equipment for laboratories and schools were created. Admired by her supervisors and well-liked by her peers for her work ethic and dedication, she would often arrive to work well before starting time.

Theresa had strong, unwavering faith and was a communicant of St. Bernadette’s in the Parlin section of Sayreville, N.J., for 52 years. After that, she became an active member at Immaculate Conception in Bethlehem, Pa., where she made her sacrament of confirmation selecting the name of St. Faustina, who was known for her trust in God and her mercy toward others. Theresa moved to Bridgewater, N.J., about five years ago.

She had a generous spirit and received the greatest joy from feeding her family. She was known for her cooking, especially her Korean dishes which were infused with her love and immeasurable heart. Theresa would make huge quantities of homemade food to make sure everyone’s plates were overflowing. No one left those tight-knit gatherings in her apartment without bags of leftovers to take home knowing they were cherished and unconditionally loved.

She is predeceased by her parents, Hyong Nok Yu and Myung Duk Han of South Korea; her sister, Yong Ja Yi of Palisades Park, N.J.; her brother, Tae Jong (TJ) Yu of Bridgewater, N.J., as well as three brothers and two sisters in Korea.

To say that Theresa was strong would be an understatement. She grew up during the Korean War in poverty and lived on her own from an early age. She was strong-willed, resilient and brave -- passing on those traits to her beloved offspring.

She was a loving mother, grandmother (Halmeoni in Korean/Harmony in English) to 14 and great-grandmother to two boys. Surviving are her seven children: Theresa Crandall and husband Jeff of Center Valley, Pa.; Frederick “Drew” A. Fischer IV of Cliffside Park, N.J.; Dawn Roses and husband John of Whitehouse Station, N.J.; Denise Shearer and husband Don of Millstone Township, N.J.; Sean Fischer and his wife Joei of Jamesburg, N.J.; Timothy Fischer and his wife Rosa Cirianni-Fischer of Bridgewater, N.J.; and Jacquelyn Fischer of Hamilton, N.J.

She also is survived by her grandchildren: Stefano and Gianna Fischer; Nikolas Fischer and wife Alyssa; Frederick “Derick” A. Fischer V; Ethan and Jarrett Crandall; Matthew and Alex Roses; Samantha, Amanda and Miranda Shearer; and Stella, Francesca and Cecilia Fischer; and her great-grandchildren, Nikolas Jr. and Archer Fischer; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, at Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 East Main Street, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807. The funeral mass will be offered 10 a.m. on Friday, January 27, at St. Bernard of Clairvaux , 500 U.S. Highway 22, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807. A mausoleum entombment will follow at Holy Cross Burial Park and Mausoleum, 840 Cranbury South River Road, Jamesburg, N.J. 08831.

Memorial donations may be made in Theresa Fischer’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association @ act.alz.org.

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