Farewell to a Rose Buddy
Elizabeth City, NC loses goodwill ambassador, cruising community loses longtime friend

Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2007

 
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It saddens me beyond measure to report the passing this morning, October 19, 2007 of Fred Fearing in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Any of you who have ever berthed at the free city docks here will recognize Fred's name immediately. He was the co-founder and long time guiding spirt of the "Rose Buddies," a group of local volunteers who met cruisers at the city waterfront and presented the female members of the vessel's compliment with roses (hence their name), and everyone with pamphlets and information about Elizabeth City and the surrounding region. If as many as three to five boats were docked along the city waterfront on any given evening, an impromptu wine and cheese party was struck up in the parking lot next door. And, I can tell you from personal experience, a good time was had by all!

I worked with Fred just two years ago, while I was hosting the "Cruising Carolina" television series. The waterfront conversation was as warm and witty as ever, but I began to wonder just how many more years Fred would be able to keep up this pace. Sadly, that question is now answered.

Several of you have sent us testimonials, photos and trubutes to Fred. Fellow cruisers, Bob and Ann Todd, provided an account of Fred's memorial service.

We have taken this material, and distilled it into an "In Memorial" page dedicated to Fred's memory. We would WELCOME other thoughts, testimonials and photos which could be added to this special page of the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net.

For the moment, you can visits Fred's page by going to http://www.CruisersNet.net, and then click on the "Visit the Fred Fearing Memorial Page" link, found at the bottom of the short article about Fred which now appears near the top of our home page. Send any other "in memoriam" notes or photos to me at CruisingWriter@CruisersNet.net

Good luck and good cruising!

Claiborne S. Young

CruisingWriter@CruisersNet.net

http://www.CruisersNet.net