WILLIAM C. FICKERT JR., 75, who owned and operated his family’s insurance company, died May 23, 2012. He was a member of Gamma Psi and was associated with the William C. Fickert Agency, now the Fickert, Howard & Wragg Insurance Agency, Inc., for his entire career. He is survived by his wife, Susan Kinlock Fickert, four children, three stepsons, 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and his sister.
Julia Fischer ’91 writes: “My father loved Wesleyan, and I am a member of the class of 1991. I have attached my comments from the memorial, which was last Friday as well as a photo of him and of our family home, a geodesic dome, which he was most proud of and which is a magnificent house, the existence of which he is responsible for.”
Julia Fischer ’91 writes: “My father loved Wesleyan, and I am a member of the class of 1991. I have attached my comments from the memorial, which was last Friday as well as a photo of him and of our family home, a geodesic dome, which he was most proud of and which is a magnificent house, the existence of which he is responsible for.”
I am deeply grateful to have had Richard for a father. His immense equanimity, reason, intellect, dignity, and mischievousness served as the soil in which our family grew.
In reflecting with my friends who knew him I discovered that not only did he treat me as an equal all through my life, but he made us all feel that he was genuinely interested in our thoughts and opinions, fully respected them, and expected us to have thoughtful ideas. Inherent in the interactions with him was always a reverence and respect and I feel that it made each of us want to stand a little taller, be just that much more perceptive, imaginative or knowledgeable. He inspired us moment to moment to be better selves, and he did so non-judgmentally. One friend said that if he ever had to be judged by someone, he would want it to be Richard. My father was the embodiment of fairness and reason.
And then he had this saying that he repeated so often during my childhood – “Life is fair” he would say. It used to send me into fits of frustration, discussion & contemplation. Thinking about it now, it is much like a Zen koan. A koan is an unsolvable riddle used in Zen Buddhism to force an intuitive leap which carries the student beyond the rational plane to an enlightened state. He would always say “Life is fair” or a similar statement, with the corners of his moustache doing that thing, that barely perceptible thing, with that slight extra light shining from his eyes – so much fun and mischief. He knew full well how saying “Life is fair” made me feel, and I think he felt the exact same way. I feel that for someone so mental and logical, these moments of play reveal his understanding of the wider ultimate reality and his love and joy of being.
And his creativity! The dome and his writing, and his early efforts at character recognition, his political ideas and suggestions – he was kind of quiet about these things, plugging away at them for the joy of it, the interest of it. And he was dynamic, delightfully unpredictable – he might pull into an empty parking lot to do a few doughnuts while teaching me to drive, or he might run outside in the middle of a hot shower to roll in the snow. So full of life and adventure!
As much as I was close to him, I think I speak for everyone when I say I wish I’d known him even better. He was on his own path of self-discovery, and it is a tremendous inspiration to me to have seen the dedication and strides he made even over the last year. May his memory continue to inspire and teach each of us.
Thank you.
JAMES A. FAIRBROTHER, a media and advertising executive, died Dec. 27, 2010, at age 55. He received his degree magna cum laude and with honors, and he had received numerous national awards for his creative work with his firm, Fairbrother & Company. Survivors include his wife, Eileen (Ivy) Fairbrother, and four children.
JONATHAN A. FREEDMAN, 71, a sociology professor at Kennesaw (Ga.) State University, died June 29, 2007. A member of the John Wesley Club, he received a PhD from Brandeis University. He was the director of education and training at Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse, N.Y., for many years, and also taught at Syracuse University and its medical school. At the time of his death he was also developing a new master’s program in sociological administration. He is survived by his wife, Jo Sanders Freedman, three sons, six grandchildren, and two brothers, as well as his Vietnamese extended family. (For more information, see the Syracuse Post Standard of July 2, 2007.)
DUNCAN G. FARRELL, the former director of the Society of Government Travel Professionals, died Dec. 29, 2007, at age 72. He was a member of Alpha Chi Rho and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. His long career in advertising and marketing included associations with Eastern Air Lines and with the Travel Industry Association of America. Among those who survive are his wife, June Martinick Farrell; three daughters, including Grace Farrell Roemer ’85; four grandchildren; and a son-in-law, Jon Roemer ’85.
JOHN B. FARESE JR., 75, a stockbroker for Salomon Smith Barney in New York City, died May 8, 2006. A member of Chi Psi, he received a master’s degree from Wesleyan and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He is survived by four children, six grandchildren, a sister, and his companion, Jeanette McAllister.
The Rev. DAVID J. ERNSBERGER, 75, a retired minister, author, and psychologist, died Dec. 28, 2005. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he received his degree with honors. He received theology degrees from Yale and Union Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Texas. Survivors include his wife, Colleen A. Wheeler; five children, including Paul Ernsberger ’78; eight grandchildren; and a sister.
CHARLES A. ELLIS JR., M.D., a retired internist, died May 11, 2008, at age 78. He was a member of Sigma Nu and received his medical degree from Albany Medical College. After completing his medical residency training in the U.S. Navy, he was affiliated with Lawrence (Mass.) General Hospital and Holy Family Hospital for more than 43 years. Predeceased by his wife, Jane Timbrell Ellis, he is survived by five children and six grandchildren.
ROBERT S. EASTMAN, an instrumentation engineer and physics instructor, died May 19, 2007, at age 79. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa and was employed by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft for more than 40 years. He is survived by his wife, Elinor Casey Eastman, a son, two grandchildren, and a brother. (For more information, see theHartford Courant, May 31, 2007.
JOHN W. EVERITT II, 65, president of David Jeffrey Associates, a financial consulting firm he founded, died July 4, 2009. The son of Theodore T. Everitt ’21, he was a member of Psi Upsilon and received his MBA from Columbia University. Before founding his company he worked for Morgan Guaranty Trust. Just prior to his death he had been elected to the Bellport (N.Y.) village board. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Ashcraft Everitt, and two sons.
