Remembering Roly

by Reverend Kathryn Hawbaker and Darryl Ting

Rev. Dr. Roland Fredericks was a centerpiece of this area community, 
serving the First Presbyterian Church for 11 years.  As he retired, he continued to serve the wider community, and sometimes ministered to our congregation for memorial services, pastoral care and preaching.   It was a privilege for me to get to know Roly & Margaret.  In my first year, Roly invited me to a Rotary luncheon as his guest, as a way to meet members of the community beyond the congregation.  Roly was a colleague and a friend, who has been a blessing to me.  Many gathered on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2010 to mourn his passing, celebrate his life and honor his legacy of work for peace and justice.  Members and friends of FUUSM generated over $500 for the Marietta Community Foundation Fund which will provide for future projects which Margaret and the Fredericks family identify in service to the community.

Many people knew Roly as a passionate, thoughtful leader and teacher,
a tenacious advocate, and a tireless worker for social justice and peace.

But he was much more than that to me. You see, for me, Roly was and will continue to be my personal inspiration for a life well lived … a model of how to BE in this world.

I never told him that.  Frankly, I was more than a bit in awe of the man. I was certain that, modest as he was, he would have tried to talk me out of it. But I know what I know.

Roly LIVED what he believed in. What he preached we SHOULD do, he DID. What we PRAY to do, he DID. That is what I find so inspirational about Roly.
That he lived his truth, and he did it so well.

And Roly did it with such joy. Maybe it was his natural disposition:
his ever present smile and laugh
his sense of humor and the twinkle in his eyes.

But I think it was because his life was so full of love; That it’s natural consequence was joy.

I continue my struggle to live my truth.
I remember Roly and how he lived. 
I remember, and I have hope.
 
Roly THOUGHT LOVE.
Roly SPOKE LOVE.
Roly DID LOVE.
Roly WAS LOVE.

Thank you, Roly.