Boundless energy, passionate, gregarious and a sincere desire to help others.
That was former Oxford resident John Fizel in a nutshell.
Sadly, Fizel passed away on Sunday, April 12, 2015. He was 87.
For years, Fizel actively served the town he had proudly called home since 1990. He was a true volunteer in every sense of the word.
You name it, he either supported it or was involved in it with his wife Jan right by his side.
They always worked as a team and wherever there was one, the other was usually not far behind.
Being selfless was a way of life for Fizel and his wife, who would have celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary next month.
Once the couple spent their Christmas Eve shopping and wrapping presents at the last minute just so a local family in need wouldn’t be forced to go without.
Playing Santa came natural to Fizel because he used to do it every year for the Rotary Club of Oxford back when he was a proud member.
Whenever the real Santa Claus was unable to attend the club’s annual Christmas party for area senior citizens, Fizel was more than pleased to don the red suit and white beard, then mingle with the crowd, handing out gifts and spreading plenty of holiday cheer.
When he wasn’t busy impersonating the jolly old elf, Fizel was usually hard at work organizing the Rotary Club’s classic car show held annually during Celebrate Oxford for a number of years.
‘He was very active in the club ? very active in the community as well,? said Joe Bullen, a Rotarian and Oxford Village resident.
When Bullen joined Rotary, Fizel did everything in his power to make him feel welcome as he did with many newcomers to the club.
‘He made you feel comfortable,? Bullen said. ‘He was very positive. He was very outgoing, very receptive (to others).?
Fizel was an avid user and supporter of the Oxford Public Library. In 2004, he and Jan were named ‘Friends of the Year? by the Oxford Public Library Friends (OPLF) and honored at the group’s Storybook Gala. The year before, the OPLF honored them with the ‘President’s Choice Award.?
‘Libraries offer young people a road to the future, a place to learn about different people and customs from around the world,? said Fizel during a March 2004 interview.
For a while, Fizel helped feed local seniors as a volunteer driver for Oxford’s Meals on Wheels program. As with everything else, he and Jan delivered the meals together.
‘He and Jan were joyful volunteers,? said Oxford resident Mary Reynolds, who serves as the site hostess for Meals on Wheels. ‘They always showed up.?
Reynolds actually knew Fizel prior to Meals on Wheels.
A while back, they were both salespeople based at the Detroit office for Ryerson, a services company that processes and distributes metals.
‘John always had a joke,? Reynolds said. ‘He always asked about my family. He was very conscious of other people, not only what they were doing at the moment, but what the rest of their lives entailed.
‘As a salesman, he was exactly the same way. He knew his customers. He knew what their needs were in a business situation, but he also paid attention to what their personal life was like.?
Fizel was ‘very well-liked? by his fellow Ryerson employees because he was so positive, according to Reynolds.
‘You never heard a negative word out of him,? she said. ‘He was always joyful. His life was to uplift other people.?