Fred Chary, R.I.P.

“Change Is in the cards, 

but this time it will be hard.”

“Wrapped Up in Books,” Belle and Sebastian

 

My good friend and former IU Northwest colleague Fred Chary, 81, passed away; his daughter EllaRose called with the sad news. Unable to get around much for the past few years, he remained intellectually active, leaving behind a mostly completed Russian historical novel. In the hospital for a procedure, he was rehabbing at a facility when he tested positive for the coronavirus and never made it home. He didn't suffer serious symptoms, but wife Diana could only see him through a glass window and one night he went to bed and never woke up. So he evidently died peacefully.

 

Graduating from Penn, located in his hometown of Philadelphia, he received a PhD from Pitt in 1968 and published the critically acclaimed "The Jews and the Final Solution, 1940-1944" (1972), which found that Bulgaria was the only German ally during WW II where the entire Jewish community was able to avoid Hitler's gas chambers. His lively history of Bulgaria was published in 2011.

We lived just a few blocks from the Charys in Miller during the 1970s and frequently got together for cards, board games (i.e., Risk), dinner, special occasions, and holidays. While his family spent a year in Bulgaria (sons David and Michael attended Ho Chi Minh School there), a bunch of us at a New Year's Eve party made an audio tape for them. It apparently didn't get through the Communist censors, probably because it was considered too raucous, although Fred later suspected the reason was political.

 

In those years we had several brilliant students in common who became our good friends, including David Malham and Milan Andrejevich, who went on to earn a PhD, work for Voice of America, and teach at both IUN and Ivy Tech. Milan would host student-faculty parties when his parents were away that produced many memorable moments. In faculty-student touch football games Chary was a fearsome lineman.

 

Once, teaching a Historiography seminar, I asked other department members to talk about their areas of specialization in Fred's case, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. I'd never seen Fred teach, and he did not disappoint, interweaving a perfect blend of content, personal anecdote, and Q and A.

 

For many years Fred and Diane Chary would have a table at Temple Israel in Miller's Trivia Night. She'd decorate around a theme and often provide hats, wigs, or other costumes. I was expected to handle Gary history and pop music questions. On hand usually were Chary sons David and Michael and friends Jack Bloom, Karen Rake, and Sue Darnell.

 

Both Freddy and I were ardent Philly sports fans. In 1974, the year the Flyers first won their first Stanley Cup, we were at a party during the crucial fourth game against Boston and found an empty bedroom for the final minutes, a victory that put the Flyers up 3 games to 1. In the mid-70s the Phillies finally had worthy playoff teams with Larry Bowa, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and Dick Allen. We'd both tune in WFIL in the evening (sometimes in my car) and call when one of us could pick up the signal. One of our favorite Eagles games was when the hated Giants could have run out the clock had the quarterback just taken a knee, but he inexplicably tried to lateral to his running back and an Eagle intercepted it and ran untouched into the end zone. Two years ago, when the Eagles finally won the Superbowl, he was the first one I called. I'll miss him and think of him often.

 

Among the many faculty responding to my tribute to Fred was historian Paul Kern, who wrote: “Very sorry to hear this. Fred was a brilliant linguist and had an encyclopedic knowledge of history. He had an ironic sense of humor. And he was a very good chess player. He was my colleague for 38 years, part of an IUN history department faculty generation that flourished for four decades.”  Sculptor Neil Goodman noted: “It was a great department and I had a huge respect for Fred as well as all of the members of your department. It set the bar high for excellent scholarship and collegiality.” Among the student responses was this from Jim Reha: “Jim, please express our condolences to Fred's family. I always enjoyed his class and used information from him throughout my teaching career.”  Old friend Susan Darnell wrote:

    Thanks much for this Jim; Fred would have enjoyed it. Glad he had his big 80th Birthday party...he sure loved parties, mainly his own, especially the food (wife Diane is a gourmet cook and spoiled Fred often), the gifts and cards! It was touching to see him engaging with his peers that day...he was in his element relishing the special IU comradery. Diane will be lost; they were a team and she tried desperately to protect him from exactly what happened. I hope to be there for her as needed. Ella Rose and David (Michael too) you had a great dad, the best! He was beyond proud of you all. I, as a forever friend of roughly 45 years will remember all the parties, Trivia Nights and the many meandering conversations and sage advice when solicited. I'll miss Fred often, his brilliance, his gentleness and his humble joy. I am so blessed to have wandered into his circle to share some time and oh so many memories. My love to you all...you just always think there will be more time. Godspeed dear, sweet Fred.