Fred Whittingham

Dear Uncle Fred: I think of you all the time and thank you for the wonderful cousins you gave me. Till we meet again, Good Uncle.

Fred was a Great man and I am sure he is so proud of his family.

The sky is a mixture of silver
and black clouds.
It's raining
in Seattle.

It's already a dark
and gloomy day.
Then the news come.

Big Fred has died.

How could this
happen?

He was so big.
So tough.
He was larger than life.

I sit here
alone
with only my thoughts and memories.

So sad
it hurts.

I feel lost and...

CRIES:

--for Big Fred

The whole community cries out
We just cry

From Y Mountain to Utah Lake
From Mapleton to Pleasant Grove
In our neighborhood
In Oak Hills
We all just cry out

We fall over ourselves
We wonder who is next
We huddle close together
Talk in whispers
Make vows with ourselves to remember

But we know it's too much for us
Huddled in tight...

To the Whittingham family: my memory of Fred etched in my mind forever:
In August of 1981, I was a 17 year old freshman football player at BYU. I had been recruited by a physically and psychologically imposing man with a leadership presence unrivaled by any man I had ever encountered. He had spoken to me only 3 times. One of those occasions was Jan. 1981 to tell me in a short, firm, directive that I would be attending Brigham Young University on an athletic scholarship to play...

Big Fred

You might as well tell me Everest was flattened
And so I move from standing to sitting

A low voice, gravelly, lake a slow rolling earthquake
An accent, never quite extinguished, hinting at
some mysterious past and path to Provo

We all called him big Fred
(even when there was no longer a "little" Fred)
It was not a description for the sake of identification
It was a fact screaming for...

There are three people that had the most impact in my developement as a person. Fred was one of them. I am a much better person from having had Fred as a coach, role model and friend. I will miss him.

I knew both Fred and his brother David in Aldrich and then Warwick Veteran High School, Warwick RI. They were both terrific people. I am so sorry to read of Fred death in the Providence Journal. He certainly accomplished many great goals. I'll alway remember his great personality. I know he will be missed by his wonderful family. Bev Davies Stuart

I am the youngest niece of Fred and Nancy Whittingham. I have always been very proud to call Fred my unlce and was honored to be able to attend his funeral. I want to take this opportunity to tell my aunt and cousins how sorry I am for their loss and how much I love them! Big Fred will never be forgotten.