Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman, but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude. One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

On 7/24/2010 12:15 PM, Steve B wrote:
Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

Good on you for being Fred's best friend, Steve.
That was generous and kind.

--Winston

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:15:05 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman, but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude. One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

We could use a few more guys like Fred. Quite a few more, in fact.

"Steve B" wrote:

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

My hat is off to you and your wife.

Wes

On 7/24/2010 3:15 PM, Steve B wrote:
Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman, but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude. One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

I didn't know him but he sounds like he was a good man and had a good
run. You sound like a good 'un too.

Very moving, Steve B. You, like Old Fred, have touched a lot of hearts with this message. Thanks
for sharing the tribute with us. To be truly missed may be Fred's only legacy but it speaks to the
Life of a man far more than most will leave.

Bob Swinney
"Steve B" wrote in message ...
Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman, but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude. One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:15:05 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday
morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it
than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars
were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman,
but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude.
One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the
Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of
hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

We could use a few more guys like Fred. Quite a few more, in fact.


Agreed, and well Steve for looking out for Fred when he needed it.

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:15:05 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote the following:

Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He made his peace with everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

Condolences on the loss of a friend, Steve. RIP, Fred.

(I wonder if he's tigged St. Peter's gates shut for fun yet...)

--
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness;
poverty and wealth have both failed.
-- Kin Hubbard

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:15:05 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote the following:

Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday
morning.
He made his peace with everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.

Condolences on the loss of a friend, Steve. RIP, Fred.

(I wonder if he's tigged St. Peter's gates shut for fun yet...)

--
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness;
poverty and wealth have both failed.
-- Kin Hubbard

He was a jokester, and a storyteller. I imagine he's causing some laughs
wherever he's at. He sure could get the grumpy out of a person in a short
time.

Steve

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:15:05 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

Fred Belmont Hardin (Old Fred the Welder) died at my home yesterday morning.
He was 86. He was a lifelong welder, and probably forgot more about it than
I will ever learn. He could stick weld two aluminum beer cans together.
But, he also fabricated some pretty unusual stuff, some of it for Mall of
The Americas. He was a reserve police officer, a retired EMT, and retired
tow operator.

He fed a lot of hungry souls, put them up for the night when their cars were
broke down, got a lot of people back on the highway with just his address
and the trust that they would send him the money for repairs, and pulled
many a person out of a ditch for free. He was a successful businessman, but
just barely because he had such a big heart and little killer attitude. One
of the guys who was there first and last to leave, and out in the rain
instead of under the cover.

We had him for a year and a day after he found out he had terminal cancer,
and we invited him to come stay with us. He was only really sick for a
month. The hospice people were super who came every day. Even the Medicare
and Medicaid people who brought him a hospital bed and all sorts of hospital
stuff. Hats off to those angels who work for hospice.

They brought lots of morphine, but only at the end did he ask for it,
realizing that it would hasten his departure. He made his peace with
everyone and God, then left.

I'll miss you, Fred.



Sounds like he was a very good man.

My respects

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch