In eighth grade, Fred asked me to the movies. I hardly knew him, and the only thing I DID know about him was that he was into boats. So before our date, I studied up on boats so I could ask a few intelligent questions. Fred wasn't much of a talker, so I exhausted my repertoire of silly boat questions in about 5 minutes, but then the movie started and I was off the hook. Both of us were pretty tall for eighth graders and Fred was in the aisle seat with his legs sticking out into the aisle. After about half the movie was over (don't remember what it was), I got up to go to the bathroom and fell over his feet, flat on my face. I was saddened to hear he died...hope he had a great life.
Cute story, Diana.(You have a great sense of humor. Those first dates were murder, weren't they?) I remember him since the second grade, our freckled faced redheaded boy. I can see him standing doing Show and Tell in Mrs. Mueller's class.
Fred Fiddess and I were friends throughout high school. After graduation, Steve Hall, Fred and myself, went down to NYC to join the Marines. Steve and I were accepted and given the date to appear for the bus ride to Parris Island. Fred, however, was found to have alcohol in his system and tunred down. He ended up in the Navy on submarines out of New London, Ct. I lost contact with him after joining the Marines and didn't see him again until around 1970. He came to see me while I was sharing an apartment in Ossining, NY with Bill Smedly, who also graduated in 1966.
Fred arrived with a young lady who was either his wife or his girlfriend. I can't recall which was true. They stayed over night with Bill and I and we talked a lot about high school and other things with a lot of laughs in between. We certainly had quite the party. Drinking too much, but we were young and just had a great time as I remember. Still, I could tell Fred was drinking too much, and coming from me at the time, that's saying something. The next day Fred wanted to get more beer and continue the party, but Bill and I turned that idea down. So Fred and his lady left, never to be heard from again. Years later I heard from someone who said my old friend had died due to alcohol poisoning. I was saddened to hear that news, and mad at the same time. But I will always remember my friend, Fred, as a solid, devoted friend who will stay with me forever...
In recalling Fred Fiddes, it should be know that he served in the Navy, and as such whomever is chrged with keeping this website up to date should make sure a flag icon is placed with his name.
Fred Fiddes....Damn, so many of us are gone. I believe Fred was with me in elementary school for many of the same teachers. He was one of the guys who would never tell on you when you did something to disrupt things. He had a great sense of humour, and could always be counted on to laugh or crack a joke when things got dull. A solid guy by our warped standards.
We could buy a bag of dried peas and a thick plastic pea shooter at the corner store in those days. In grade school a number of us developed a system of shooting peas at the teacher (or to richochet off the walls with an amazing clacking sound). The peashooter would be cradled in a textbook and levelled at a target. Open season.
I see Fred and a bunch of us lined up against the wall in 8th Grade history class. I forget the name of the teacher, but he was boring and done. Fred was as bored as I was. We (there must have been 6 or 7 of us) would tip our chairs back against the wall, and amuse ourelves by throwing spitballs at the clock until its face was entirely obliterated by our unerring fire. Somehow we never got caught (at least as far as I remember).
I am sorry a fellow conspirator is gone. One of the good guys.
My old HHS buddy, Fred Fiddes, apparently died from alcohol poisoning. he was overindulging, just drinking way to much. He died so very young! And he was a great athlete as well. I always recall him with a smil e...
Diana Strayer (Sample)
In eighth grade, Fred asked me to the movies. I hardly knew him, and the only thing I DID know about him was that he was into boats. So before our date, I studied up on boats so I could ask a few intelligent questions. Fred wasn't much of a talker, so I exhausted my repertoire of silly boat questions in about 5 minutes, but then the movie started and I was off the hook. Both of us were pretty tall for eighth graders and Fred was in the aisle seat with his legs sticking out into the aisle. After about half the movie was over (don't remember what it was), I got up to go to the bathroom and fell over his feet, flat on my face. I was saddened to hear he died...hope he had a great life.
Dorothy DeMichele
Cute story, Diana.(You have a great sense of humor. Those first dates were murder, weren't they?) I remember him since the second grade, our freckled faced redheaded boy. I can see him standing doing Show and Tell in Mrs. Mueller's class.
Robert Batcheller (Bliss)
Fred Fiddess and I were friends throughout high school. After graduation, Steve Hall, Fred and myself, went down to NYC to join the Marines. Steve and I were accepted and given the date to appear for the bus ride to Parris Island. Fred, however, was found to have alcohol in his system and tunred down. He ended up in the Navy on submarines out of New London, Ct. I lost contact with him after joining the Marines and didn't see him again until around 1970. He came to see me while I was sharing an apartment in Ossining, NY with Bill Smedly, who also graduated in 1966.
Fred arrived with a young lady who was either his wife or his girlfriend. I can't recall which was true. They stayed over night with Bill and I and we talked a lot about high school and other things with a lot of laughs in between. We certainly had quite the party. Drinking too much, but we were young and just had a great time as I remember. Still, I could tell Fred was drinking too much, and coming from me at the time, that's saying something. The next day Fred wanted to get more beer and continue the party, but Bill and I turned that idea down. So Fred and his lady left, never to be heard from again. Years later I heard from someone who said my old friend had died due to alcohol poisoning. I was saddened to hear that news, and mad at the same time. But I will always remember my friend, Fred, as a solid, devoted friend who will stay with me forever...
Robert Batcheller (Bliss)
In recalling Fred Fiddes, it should be know that he served in the Navy, and as such whomever is chrged with keeping this website up to date should make sure a flag icon is placed with his name.
Bob Bliss
Tom Livingston
Fred Fiddes....Damn, so many of us are gone. I believe Fred was with me in elementary school for many of the same teachers. He was one of the guys who would never tell on you when you did something to disrupt things. He had a great sense of humour, and could always be counted on to laugh or crack a joke when things got dull. A solid guy by our warped standards.
We could buy a bag of dried peas and a thick plastic pea shooter at the corner store in those days. In grade school a number of us developed a system of shooting peas at the teacher (or to richochet off the walls with an amazing clacking sound). The peashooter would be cradled in a textbook and levelled at a target. Open season.
I see Fred and a bunch of us lined up against the wall in 8th Grade history class. I forget the name of the teacher, but he was boring and done. Fred was as bored as I was. We (there must have been 6 or 7 of us) would tip our chairs back against the wall, and amuse ourelves by throwing spitballs at the clock until its face was entirely obliterated by our unerring fire. Somehow we never got caught (at least as far as I remember).
I am sorry a fellow conspirator is gone. One of the good guys.
Robert Batcheller (Bliss)
My old HHS buddy, Fred Fiddes, apparently died from alcohol poisoning. he was overindulging, just drinking way to much. He died so very young! And he was a great athlete as well. I always recall him with a smil e...
Bob Batcheller Bliss