Fred Wise

I find it difficult to imagine life without Fred.  Over nineteen years together in Issaquah sharing life
with friends and watching our children grow up together.  I can't express what I will miss the most
about him but here are some of the highlights of his life with me.
     *cooking in his kitchen and barbequing on the back deck...exchanging recipes and trying to out-do
each other's batch of chili...the aroma of smoked fish, mole sauce, and chicken on the Ronco. 
     *visiting with his wife Diane...waiting for his arrival home from work...watching him cross the bridge
to the front door undoing his tie knowing that he could be just Freddie in our company.
     *admiring his love and knowledge of music...always willing to share in his collection...listening to
concerts on the Seattle Pier, MaryMoore Park, and St. Michelle Winery.
      *camping and fishing together with our significant others and children...sitting around the campfire
listening to his  fly fishing stories in Alaska and drinking fantastic margaritas made in his blender...
camping was never better!
      *admiring some new gadget that he just had to buy from Costco...a new contraption usually tied
to his love of cooking, fishing and camping or just a nice outfit he thought Diane would appreciate and
look lovely wearing.
Well, I could go on, but I think it best now to stop and say, "I will miss you, Fred!"  Thank you for
accepting me into your fold through all the good times and even the tumultuous ones.  I felt your love
and support through it all.  I just wish I could hug you again and tell you that I love YOU. 
   Until we meet again...

My last memory of Fred, my brother-in-law, was in paradise.  He very kindly invited me to join them for a
week in Maui and I gratefully accepted the invitation. I picture him sitting in his beach chair, reading his
stories that he'd downloaded from the public library onto his Kindle, basking in the brilliant sunlight and
ambling down to the water from time to time, floating in the waves and joining in conversation with the other
 bathers.  His favorite activity in Maui was sitting in the sun, turning brown as a nut, and doing nothing. 
That was my last memory of Fred.  My lasting memory of him is sitting at the dinner table after the meal
 was over, holding court.  I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations, almost always about politics and current
events, a safe subject for us because we had similar leanings.  I will remember Fred whenever I hear a
good jazz recording, or the cacaphony of mina birds and mourning doves that were just ouside the condo
 in Kihe and most of all, when I hear Marty Balin's Coming Back to You, because Fred let down his guard
one evening when we were listening to music and it was then that I realized the depth of his feelings for
 my sister.

I first met Fred in 1983 when I began my postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychologiy at Harborview Medical Center with Brenda Townes - and I have loved crossing paths with him ever since. He always enjoyed our yearly meetings at the Pacific Northwest Neuropsychological Society, as much for the socializing as for the intellectual stimulation. Fred gave a talk to PNNS at one of our evening meetings entitled "Bad Brains, Bad Guys", based on his forensic neuropsychology work - I remembered it  particularly for his straight-forward talk and his colorful descriptions of ithe interesting problems he had encountered when testing and interviewing people in jail or in a mental ward. Since his talk was so memorable, I had thought that perhaps he had given it five or six years ago, but was somewhat shocked to find on the PNNS website that it was nearly seventeen years ago, on 3/13/1995. Fred was a great raconteur, always said exactly what he thought, and his passion showed through. He liked to be dealt with fairly, and denounced the sleeze and greed he often encountered in the forensic setting. He could be very funny, too. Although a PNNS member since its founding in 1986, Fred never wanted to be an officer of the organization, knowing himself well enough that he might easily get distracted from the more mundane aspects of the job. His personality was well-suited to the type of solo work he did. He was not afraid of the conflicts inherent in court work. And yes, he loved to talk about his fishing trips and his family! Although we encountered one another only a few times a year, I am very saddened at his passing, and will definitely miss him.

I have known Fred since the early 1980's.  He joined the Pacific Northwest Neuropsychological Society when it was founded and was a contributor by his humor, insight and presence.  He was intellectually thoughtful, but did not take himself too seriously.  For  a number of years, I "rescued" Fred on the flights home from the International neurological Society meetings.  He always forgot to save some cash (used on airlines in those days) for a drink on the flight home.  We would meet at the Sorrento Hotel a week or so later for him to reciprocate.  AS he came to PNNS meetings less frequently in recent years, I saw him more often in teh court room. He nevermade any differences of opinion personal.He enjoyed communicating his findings and engaging in the interactions of colleagues.  He was a sweet and thoughtful man.  I will miss his smile and wicked sense of humor.  

I can honestly say it always made me happy to see Fred.  He was unfailingly kind.  As an adversary in the court room he was always a straight shooter and never over-stated his case.  Fred loved his family and talked about them often, always with a smile on his face.