He was and always will be a beloved Son, Brother, Uncle, and friend. Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Fred Olin Hargis Sr. and Virginia Needham Hargis. He is survived by sisters, Marilyn Hargis Simmons and Susie Hargis Hairston and husband, Stan. He had one nephew, Jason Hairston and wife Christi; and five nieces, Monica Farrar and husband Cris; Tricia Johnson and husband Marty, Rachel Allen and husband Seneca, Sarah Ayala, and Angela Mendoza and husband Jorge. He had numerous grand nieces and nephews as well as great grands.
Fred was an extremely humble man, though his talents were vast. Knowing Fred meant knowing kindness. He was poetic with a quirky wit, and he had a meticulous way about him – always bringing smiles across the faces surrounding him. He continually gave so much joy and happiness to others.
Fred is, was, and always will be a legend. He was the only student in the history of Sam Houston High School to be bestowed with an Outstanding Music Award for his excellence in performing in the jazz band. Fred was recognized by Marquise Who’s Who top artists for dedication, achievements and leadership in music and accounting. Fred was born with a talent for music. He would play church hymns by ear on the piano from the age of four. Later he worked as a freelance woodwind musician in Houston while studying classical music performance at the University of Houston. Fred later focused on jazz studies in music performance at the University of North Texas.
From 1980 to 1990, Fred was the band manager of the Buddy Brock Orchestra, a ballroom dance band that was known for performing at exclusive hotels, country clubs, and other upscale venues across the country. He was president, CEO, and band leader from 1990 to 1997. Fred was also a professor of clarinet and saxophone at the University of St. Thomas in Houston from 1992 to 1997.
In addition to music, Fred also excelled in the field of finance in his later life. Over the years, Fred has been a member and vice president of the University of Houston’s first chapter of the National Association of Jazz Educators.
Fred was also applying to become a lifetime member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Some of his interests included cooking, stargazing, and genealogy. In his final years, he had cultivated his passion for genealogical research for both his family and friends and was a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Fred and his family considered his greatest moments to be performing at President George H.W. Bush’s inaugural ball in the Republican National Convention of 1992 in the Astrodome in Houston, as well as performing at the Inaugural Ball for President Bush in 1989.
Fred always showed gratitude to his family, friends and teachers for his achievements, but we will always stand in awe of his talents and self-driven success.
From the Family to Fred:
We will always cherish and hold you dearly in our hearts. We love you and we are so proud of you for exactly who you are. Our hearts are broken, and we will miss you so much. We wish we had more time with you, but we know that we will meet again and dance to your music together! We will love you forever.
