Fred Hampton Reger

Fred Reger, 79, of Manassas, VA, passed away on April 22, 2023, after a brief battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Ann Reger; his children, Lyle (Ann) Reger and Kelly (Russell) Wilson; his grandchildren, Emma Harris, Savannah Reger, Jay Wilson, and Philip Reger; and his sisters, Alice Chambliss and Susan Melton.

Fred was born in July 1943 to Mason and Sigrid Reger in Ontario, OR. The family would later settle in Mount Jackson, VA, where Fred graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1961. Fred joined the Corps of Cadets at VPI in Blacksburg, VA, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science and later a Master of Science in Education. Fred was a member of the VPI cheerleading squad and a proud Old Guard alumnus who was known to boisterously cheer "Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi!"

In 1963, Fred met Ann Sorrels at JMU in Harrisonburg, VA, while dropping his sister off at the library. Some friendly banter and an invitation to lunch led to a June wedding in 1965 and 57 years of marriage. The pair moved to Fairfax, VA, where Fred began teaching Distributive Education at Oakton High School and worked as the PA announcer for Oakton football games.

In 1978, Fred graduated from the Mendenhall School of Auctioneering in Highpoint, NC, and began his career as an auctioneer. He was an active member of the auction community serving in various roles at the local, state, and national level. After working with several auction houses, he started his own auction company in 1994 specializing in fundraising, real estate, and storage. While he enjoyed the people, challenges, and opportunities that each genre presented, the benefit auction was his real love as it combined his passion for community service with his joy of auctioneering. The signature derby hats his team wore were synonymous with his mantra, "we are here for the cause, not the deal." For the next 25 years he would help numerous charities, foundations, and non-profit organizations reach their goals. Fred regularly returned to Mendenhall as an instructor and served as a mentor to many in the profession. Additional highlights of his career include: 1982 VA State Champion Auctioneer, 1993 VA Auctioneers Association (VAA) Auctioneer of the Year, VAA Hall of Fame inductee in 2004. He also had the unique experience of selling storage on an episode of TV's "Auction Hunters" in 2012.

Fred enjoyed rafting, carving, reading, fishing, and a good glass of scotch. He was fan of sports and the best of grandpas at his grandchildren's games. He valued spending time with family and friends. To paraphrase Will Rogers, strangers were just friends he hadn't met yet. Fred loved telling a good story, perhaps even stretching it a bit, as a good story teller does. He was a force of nature with a big smile and a booming voice. He left behind a legacy of hard work, community service, generosity, and a love of life that was authentic, unapologetic, and carried out on his own terms.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 am on Thursday, 4 May 2023 at Pierce Funeral Home, in Manassas, VA. After the service, the family will host a gathering at the Winery at Bull Run in Manassas, VA from 1:00-3:00 pm. In remembrance of Fred Reger's life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to the American Diabetes Association.