FRED TOPHAM Obituary
Fred Topham of Oakhurst, California was born on May 7, 1926, and passed away on Thursday, March 1, 2012. He attended Kerman High School, Fresno State College and the University of Southern California. Fred served as a U.S. Merchant Marine in the Pacific from 1945 to 1947. In 1952 he returned to finish his Pharmacy degree at the University of Southern California. Soon after he served in the U.S. Army as a Surgical Assistant at Camp Chaffe, Arkansas. There he met his wife Ann Smith of Fort Smith, Arkansas. They married in 1953 and moved to Fresno California where he worked as a Pharmacist and saved his money to start his own business. Fred and Ann started their family during those years as well. Fred moved his family to Oakhurst in 1959 where he and Ann started Top Drugs until retiring in 1983 to travel and enjoy life. They twice traveled all the United States and Alaska. They traveled to Canada, England, Scotland, Holland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Africa, Egypt, Argentina, Bangkok, Singapore, the Panama Canal and cruised the Eastern Caribbean. Through the years Fred was involved in a number of different community organizations and activities. He served as Master of the Free and Accepted Masons during which time was built the current Lodge in 1965. Later he received his 32nd degree and became a Shriner. He and Ann have been members of the Eastern Star since 1968. In 1962, he started the Top Drugs Science Award at Oakhurst Elementary School, given to the top science student. This has continued for the past 50 years. Fred was an avid outdoorsman. He loved working in the garden and growing fresh vegetables. He enjoyed salmon and crab fishing in the Pacific, bird hunting in Canada and Argentina, clam digging at Pismo Beach, camping with his family in the Sierras, deer hunting, boating, sporting shooting, even the occasional turkey shoot. He read book after book on lost treasures, never finding one for himself. Fred will be deeply missed by his family and friends. Passing before him was his mother, Elva Topham; father, Arthur Topham; brother, Stanley Topham; and granddaughter, Whitney Topham. Fred is survived by Ann Topham, his wife of 58 years; son Bryan and his wife Lynn; son Randy and Terri Trunk; grandson, Kyle Topham and his wife Erin; granddaughter, Crystal Jack and her husband Christopher; great-grandchildren, Bailyn, Jack and Benjamin Topham. A Memorial Service will be held at the Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church, 39696 Highway 41, Oakhurst, Ca. 92644. In lieu of flowers please make a donation, on behalf of the Topham Family, to the Oakhurst Boys and Girls Clubs, P.O. Box 2757, Oakhurst, Ca. 93644; or the Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge #788, 40216 Highway 49, Oakhurst, Ca. 92644.
Published by Fresno Bee on Mar. 11, 2012.