Hyke Funeral Home is sharing this obituary as a courtesy to Mary Anne’s family. There are no services planned.

Mary Anne Hawkins Fischer, 81, of Phoenix, AZ, passed away peacefully on June 23rd, 2026, at her daughter’s home in Mesa, AZ, of natural causes. Mary Anne was born on August 3rd, 1944, to Don and Ruby (Palmer) Hawkins of Mellette, SD.

Mary Anne grew up on her parents’ farm south of Mellette. As a young girl, she attended the Morgan Country School and then Mellette Elementary School. She attended high school at Northwestern High School in Northville, SD, graduating in 1962. Shortly after that, she married Terry Morris Fischer of Raymond and Mellette, SD. They moved to Phoenix, where Terry worked as a diesel mechanic for International Harvester.

They had a son, Brad Sterling, in 1963, and two daughters, Tarralee, in 1967, and Jacquelin “Tami”, in 1973. She was widowed at the age of 30, raising all three children as a single parent. She owned and resided in the same home on West Earll Drive in the North Encanto Neighborhood for more than 60 years.

Mary Anne was always a hard worker, and as a young girl, she worked for neighbors, cleaning and babysitting. After moving to Arizona, she worked for the State Department of Economic Assistance in the food stamp program. She then worked for the Phoenix Union School District as a Paraprofessional and an Administrative Assistant in the Indian Education Program. After which she went to work for the United States Post Office as a mail handler for more than 20 years, retiring in 2009.

Mary Anne was a true lifelong learner. She attended Phoenix College and ASU furthering her education. She was in Phi Theta Kapa. She loved to travel, learning about new ideas and embracing the differences of the various cultures and exciting places she visited. She traveled all over the US including the Hawaiian and Virgin Islands and Europe. Sharing these experiences with family and friends was everything to Mary Anne. She would load the car with her kids and drive all over the country, usually making a stop at the farm in SD, because the only thing more important to her than traveling was spending time with her family and friends.

When she was at home, she followed the local folk and country music artist scene and was a regular at many local music venues. Not only would she listen to the music, she would get to know the artist and their stories. Everything she did, she put her whole heart into. She was very interested in the people behind the music. Mary Anne was a very generous and kindhearted person to everyone she met. She taught her children and grandchildren the importance of working hard, being humble, and extending kindness to others. Above all else, she taught us to be grateful for what we have, and that life is uncertain, eat dessert first.

Mary Anne is survived by her two daughters: Tarralee (Lindsay Robeson) Fischer of Mellette, SD; Jacquelin “Tami” (Bradley Smith) Fischer of Mesa, AZ; and her former daughter-in-law, Sheryl Sheets of Los Angeles, CA. Five grandchildren: Travis Fischer of Phoenix, AZ; Tiffany Fischer of Los Angeles, CA; Remi Fischer of Los Angeles, CA; Emmylea Robeson of Mellette, SD; and Andrew Robeson of Mellette, SD. Her brother Terry (Gail) Hawkins of Mellette, SD; and sister Sherry Wanko of Mesa, AZ. She was preceded in death by her parents, Don and Ruby (Palmer) Hawkins; her husband, Terry Fischer; her in-laws, Merle and Esther (Bell) Fischer; son, Brad Sterling (Dayna) Fischer; brothers-in-law, Jerry Zerbel and Bernie Wanko; sister-in-law, Carol Hawkins; nephew, Todd Hawkins; and niece, Carmin Hawkins.

She will be deeply missed and forever remembered as a strong and big-hearted person.