DEARBORN, FRED R. - Our Dad, Fred Dearborn was a good sport. He died in the Saint John Regional Hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 12, his sense of humor and his love for his family in tact. Just hours before he died he reminded his eldest daughter that since he and his wife Dorothy had celebrated their 60th anniversary last summer, her 60th birthday was coming up this year. Thanks Dad. When he thought we were looking at him a little too long and a little too sadly, he would flash us a silly grin. We don't know about his early life first-hand, but we do know he was born on April 11, 1924 in Saint John, son of Charles H. and Theresa (Holmes) Dearborn, that he had an older sister Elsie and they were all a part of the church family at St. John's (Stone) Church. He studied at Mt. Allison University then served in Canada and overseas with the Royal Canadian Artillery. When he returned from Europe in 1946 he joined his father's business, Charles H. Dearborn and Company and he carried on the business following the death of his father in 1948. Some time in there he met the beautiful Dorothy Ryder and they were married in 1948. Then they had us - Ana, Barbara, Cynthia and Charles/Skip - as in skip the rest of the alphabet. Being named in alphabetical order reminds us daily that our parents have always enjoyed a good laugh. We lived in what was then called Lancaster and is now Saint John West until 1962, when we moved to Hampton, bribed with the promise of horses. Dad was a city boy, but since he spent so much time on the road building the business, he managed to cope with all the fresh air. Our parents made good on the horse bribe, but we are not entirely certain Dad understood the equines would just be one part of a manigerie. He was a dog man, so it was no trouble when people started to bring their dogs-in-need-of-a-good-home-in-the-country to us. Cats were another matter entirely. One was his limit. Of course living in the country and with a working stable, we did not believe the one tiger-striped cat we had was not enough. We got some more. All tiger-stripes. We figured with a big house, a barn, lots of land and Dad's travel schedule, it was unlikely he would ever see more than one at a time. By the time the pig, goats, cow and chickens arrived in the yard he was pretty well resigned to living in a zoo. He actually helped treat the poor sick pig one dark night, but that story. As hilarious as it is, that is a story for another time. Dad managed to maintain his sense of humour when our mother launched a career in television, followed by a career in politics, followed by a career in journalism, followed by a career in public relations, followed by a career as a best-selling author. He even kept smiling when someone introduced him as Mr. Dorothy Dearborn. He kept smiling (sort of) when we "dented" his car, brought home some "winners," made some false-starts in the education and career departments, bought unsuitable - but oh such lovely cars - and needed "just a little" cash. He celebrated ALL our marriages (we did bring home some winners along the way too) and delighted in our children- Bianca Ridler (Chris Laing), Victoria Ridler, Fred Murphy (Toshie Uryany), Mollie Watts (Colin Fowlie), Becky Watts (George Thomas), Maggie Murphy (Corey Basterache), Katie Vitale and Charles, Emily Watts, Barrington and Angeleah Dearborn. He was completely smitten by our children's children - Michael Watts, Fiona Laing, Nicholas Basterache, Zanobia Thomas and Olivia Fowlie, and they were equally smitten with their Grampie-Dear. Dad accepted as his own Patti Pearce and Mike Whipple - part-time chosen-Dearborn kids - who spent most of their teenage years in our big old farm house in Hampton. In recent years he and his niece, Debbie Elliott of Oakville, have been especially close. It meant a great deal to him to be her go-to guy, her only link to her mother's family and the recipient of her love and loyalty. Over the years Dad did all kinds of other Dad things. At various times he was a member of the Maritime Commercial Travellers Association, St. John's Lodge #2, Saint John Kiwanis Club, the Saint John Board of Trade, the Hampton Chamber of Commerce, the Union Club, St. Andrews Curling Club, Hampton Curling Club and the Hampton Golf Club. He was also a founding/honourary member of the Atlantic Support Services Association. He was passionate about New Brunswick Tourism and a long-time volunteer at the Hampton Tourist Bureau. He was a student of history and loved to clip newspaper items containing humourous tupos and mistakes. We don't mind if he finds one here. We miss him already. Dad's funeral will be held at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Hampton on Friday, Jan. 16, 2009 at 11 a.m. Visiting at Reid's Funeral Home, 1063 Main Street, Hampton, Wednesday evening, 7 to 9, Thursday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. Interment in Fernhill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers we would appreciate donations to the Vivian Myles Fowler Library or Hampton Town Square project.