Well, I thought I might as well just take the bull by the horns and start this thread. So many memories over the years. I've laughed at him, cried over him so many ups and downs. No one was more opinated than Phred I don't think. He would INSIST you do what he said but if you suggested something to him - meehhh.
The first time I met Phred he surprised all of us at a Memorial Day Pet Talk meeting. I remember standing at the pavillion and seeing him drive by with Cinder and Smoke in the backseat. Ok confession - I recognized the dogs first! And Saying HOLY CRAP THAT IS PHRED!! The rest was history.
When I flew to Los Angeles for the California BBQ he was tracking my flight and calling and checking in more than my parents. He always was a night owl, he would call me at all hours of the night, so it wasn't a big deal for him to stay up late, he waited to go to bed until I had landed. He knew I was there before my parents even did. He checked so much on my flight that my parents were wondering just who the HECK Fred was. That took some explaining to do.
While I was out in California he called while we were on the way to Gini's BBQ and told me he had some friends coming to see us, and I squealed "ARE THEY FIREMEN? Then when they got there I called him to tell him they were there and as soon as he said "HEROW?" I yelled into the phone "CAN I KEEP THEM?" He just laughed and laughed.
Phred mapquested EVERYTHING. When Tonya, Kelly and I were out shopping one day, and we called him and told him that "Kelly was sick and Tonya and I were out driving around totally lost and could he mapquest us back to Kelly's house." There was a long period of silence on the phone and He says "are you serious?" I said "NO" and we all laughed while he let out a HUGE sigh of relief!
He was the BEST cookie maker - in the last couple of years he didn't feel up to making them for our meetings and we sure missed them. The ones he bought from a lady in Findlay were good but They just weren't the same.
He wanted to help people regardless of if he knew them or ever met them. If you were a friend of a friend that was good enough for him.
I'm sure I'll add more as I think of them but I think I got to a good start, can't wait to hear more memories from members.