Here & There Column 8-25-09

Shared Great Times With Fred Stabbert Jr.

Sadness overtook me when I opened the Tuesday August 11 edition of the Sullivan County Democrat to read the front page headlines, "Fred Stabbert Jr. passes away at 81."
At first is was the shock that hit me and then the sadness of knowing that one of the most knowledgeable newspaper publishers I have every known will no longer be able to share his wisdom and time with me about a topic we discussed many times.....the history of weekly newspapers in Sullivan County.
Fred and I sort of had a habit of slipping into the publishers office during the annual Sullivan County Democrat Christmas party where we would reminisce about where the weekly newspaper business was today and where it use to be 30 to 50 years ago.
Our discussions would always focus on the many weekly newspapers that dotted the local Sullivan County scenery in the 40's, 50's and 60's.
Fred grew up in the weekly newspaper field as he watched his parents publish what was then a weekly newspaper and often remembered and remarked about my uncle Cliff Sprague, one of the owners and publishers of the Liberty Gazette and Cliff telling him how I got my start at the age of eight at the Liberty Gazette. As a student in the Liberty Elementary School on North Main Street I would almost daily walk from the school down to the Liberty Gazette and Sprague Printing plant which was located behind the Sullivan County National Bank building and on the same street which formerly housed the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation Liberty garage.
I use to kid Fred that it seemed that indirectly I was active in the weekly newspaper field almost as long as he was and that after school hours a lady who use to write the Liberty locals column, Hazel LeRoy, wife of then well-known Liberty attorney "Nish" LeRoy, got me started writing a kids column and later on sports news for the paper.
Fred and I shared a lot of years in the weekly newspaper field with my association in this weekly newspaper industry now approaching 59 years.
Fred and I always talked about Sullivan County weekly newspaper history which at one time included a newspaper in the Bloomingburg-Wurtsboro area, two newspapers in Monticello three newspapers in Liberty, the Sullivan County Democrat in Callicoon, one newspaper in Jeffersonville and another in Livingston Manor......and they all made a living from their trade.
It was truly Fred's knowledge and business experience along with his son, Fred Stabbert III and the entire dedicated staff that has made the Twice Weekly Sullivan County Democrat what it is today....an award winning publication that truthfully gives its readers all the news that's fit to print.
Fred and I also use to talk some serious politics but here is where I found the true Fred Stabbert Jr......a pure gentleman who was fair and honest and said it like it was.......I chaired the Sullivan County Conservative Party for a number of years and Fred & I often discussed candidates and party policy....sometimes agreeing and sometimes not.....but we each knew where the other stood.
Fred's funeral service on Thursday August 13 was a beautiful tribute to the great family man that Fred was with his grandchildren, Laura Stabbert, Elizabeth Warner, Michael Werner and Christian Finch sharing what their world was like with their grandfather. Remembrances with Dad were also shared by daughter Kathy Werner and son Fred Stabbert III's imaginary phone call from his dad brought smiles and fond memories of a man who will remain a part of Sullivan County History forever.
God Bless you Fred Stabbert Jr.......you have done well.

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