Joseph Fair

WILLIAMSBURG - Joseph Fair, 90, passed away April 10, 2014, in Kansas City, MO. Born in pre-war China to Samuel Bernard Fair, an American, and Clara Ruskin, a Russian expatriate, he and his family, including elder brothers Albert, Edward, Harry, and Benjamin, were evacuated by American naval cruiser in 1937, settling in Los Angeles. He was an All-California gymnast in his youth and also served his country with honor, sustaining wounds as a United States Marine in Guadalcanal and other Pacific theaters in WWII. After the war he worked as a machinist while studying voice for his future career as an opera singer. Further study took him to New York where he met his beautiful wife, Patricia Doreen Bell, of Winnipeg, then a graduate student in retailing at NYU, where they both were residing at International House. Kindred spirits in their love for music and each other, they married in 1950. Following the birth of a son and then a daughter in New York they returned to Los Angeles, where Joseph began singing professionally, and two more sons were soon born thereafter. The family traveled in the early 1960's to Italy and Germany where Joseph and many of his colleagues could find work in the post-war era. His unique powerful bass-baritone voice and theatrical presence made for an illustrious career in opera for over 35 years, performing on stage with Franco Corelli, Placido Domingo, Beverly Sills, Jerome Hines, and many other great artists across the Americas and Europe. Among his many leading roles were Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Mephistopheles in Faust, the high priest Ramfis in Aida, Figaro, Boris Godunov, and Sparafucile in Rigoletto. In retirement he and Pat relocated to Kansas City where she continued on as an executive with Camp Fire Girls. Not content with idleness, Joseph founded the Kansas City Community Opera Company, fulfilling his dream of a venue for emerging professionals to gain performance experience. In 1983 he received a special award from President Reagan recognizing his service in this endeavor. From 1980 to 1996 the company presented dozens of fully staged operas free to the public at Penn Valley Community College, where Joseph also taught music theory. The Company closed shortly after Pat, his beloved wife and production partner, passed away in 1995. He married Antonia Wright of Kansas City in 2007 and is survived by her as well as his brother Benjamin Fair (Shirley) of Los Angeles, children G.M. Brian Fair and C. Ian Fair of New York City, E. Ainslie Struminski (Richard) of Frisco, NC, Kevaghn P. Fair, D.O. (Jayne) of Williamsburg, VA, grandchildren Samantha N. Fair, Michael J. Struminski, Alexander M. Fair, Slater P. Fair, and Astyn E. Fair.