Florence Fisch, 87, deputy surrogate

When Florence Goldman Fisch worked as a Burlington County deputy surrogate from 1981 to 1993, "it was cake every day," her daughter, Susan Kaplan, said.

"She worked with the judge to finalize the papers for people adopting children. A wonderful job," Kaplan said.

"She sat next to the judge. People would bring in cakes" and make it "a fabulous celebration of adoption."

On Saturday, March 8, Mrs. Fisch, 87, of Mount Laurel, died of sepsis at her daughter's home in Marlton after an earlier fall.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School there in 1943 and earned a bachelor's in English literature and Spanish at Brooklyn College in 1947.

From the early 1950s to 1959, she was an executive secretary in the Manhattan offices of Women's Wear Daily.

In 1981, her daughter said, Mrs. Fisch "was very lucky" to become a deputy surrogate, working on adoptions and wills.

"She was a gregarious person; she hugged and kissed everybody," her daughter said.

So an adoption "was not just a process. She made it like a family event in the courtroom."

In retirement, Mrs. Fisch was president of the Young Educated Seniors Club at Adath Emanu-El in Mount Laurel as well as its program chair, both in the mid-2000s.

Mrs. Fisch would attract speakers, for instance, by visiting book signings and encouraging authors to visit with the seniors club. "She was a very charismatic character," her daughter said.

She was a member of the Southern New Jersey chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women.

Besides her daughter, Mrs. Fisch is survived by son Matthew and five grandchildren. Morton, her husband of 49 years, died in 2003.

A visitation was set from 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, at Adath Emanu-El, 205 Elbo Lane, Mount Laurel, before an 11 a.m. funeral service there. Interment is to be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 13, at Beverly National Cemetery.

Donations may be sent to the Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Fund at the above address for Adath Emanu-El.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.plattmemorial.com.

610-313-8134 @WNaedele