Fred Fairbanks, 1941-1999, Civic Activist, Artist, Journalist

Fred Fairbanks, 1960

Fred (Fritz) Fairbanks, Civic Activist, Artist, Journalist

By Leslie Wolf Branscomb, The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 18, 1999

“To the children at the Tijuana orphanage and children’s hospital, Santa Claus came every year in the form of a cheerful American in a motorized wheelchair. For 18 years Frederick ‘Fritz’ Fairbanks journeyed to Mexico to distribute the gifts he’d collected at his annual holiday toy party. But it was in his adopted hometown of Bonita where Mr. Fairbanks was best known, for his ready wit and civic activism.

“Born in Austin MN, life changed for Mr. Fairbanks the summer after high school graduation [from Wichita East in 1960], when an auto accident rendered him a quadriplegic at the age of 19. Mr. Fairbanks, 58, died Tuesday at San Diego Hospice of complications of pneumonia.

“Though the accident put his college plans on hold, Mr. Fairbanks began a new avocation as an artist almost immediately. He had just returned home after three months in the hospital, when his older brother Rick gave him a set of paints for Christmas, his mother recalled. Kay Fairbanks remembers thinking it was a crazy idea for a gift, since her son had no use of his hands and only limited mobility in his arms. ‘But I came home from bowling one day and Rick and Fritz were sitting on his bed working on painting a vase, and Fritz’s looked a whole lot better than Rick’s,’ she said with a chuckle.

“Mr. Fairbanks began taking painting lessons, and continued working in oils and later watercolors, until shortly before his death. His favorite subjects were floral images in the style of artist Georgia O’Keefe, African wildlife and beautiful women. Mr. Fairbanks sold many of his paintings and in recent years hosted three art shows at the Nine Dragons restaurant in Bonita, where he was a regular customer. Tim Evans, a friend and fellow artist who displayed his own paintings at the shows, said Mr. Fairbanks was his ‘inspiration.’

After his accident, Mr. Fairbanks had a 10-year career as a news assignment editor at a Minneapolis television station. He moved with his parents to Bonita in 1972, and eventually completed his education, earning a master’s degree in art history from San Diego State University. He later taught at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, lecturing on art history and anthropology.

Ten years ago Mr. Fairbanks resurrected the annual Bonitafest parade, which had been discontinued. Every year since, including this past September, Mr. Fairbanks could be found early on Bonitafest morning at the intersection of Otay Lakes and Bonita roads, orchestrating the flow of horses, marching bands and floats with a megaphone.

“Two years ago Mr. Fairbanks returned to the practice of journalism, joining the newspaper staff at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA, where he wrote about subjects as diverse as archaeology and the rights of the disabled. He once persuaded the college’s superintendent to spend the day in a wheelchair to learn how difficult it is to get around. He was instrumental in having campus facilities upgraded for the use of the handicapped. Mr. Fairbanks also served informally as a mentor and role model for other disabled students.

” ‘With everything that he had going against him, he truly had a heart of gold,’ said his neighbor, Ed Bia, who often helped deliver the Christmas presents to the Tijuana orphanage and the Hospital Infantil de las Californias. ‘He just really cared about other people.’

“His mother, Kay, was Mr. Fairbanks’ sole caretaker and companion since the death of her husband in 1983. ‘Fritz was always thinking about other people more than himself,’ she said. ‘We had a wonderful life together.’

“He is survived by his mother, Kay; and brothers, Rick of Albuquerque and Lynn of Chico.

“No services will be held immediately, but a celebration of his life is planned for Mr. Fairbanks’ birthday, on May 26.”

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PROFILE: Fritz Fairbanks

 By Leonel Sanchez,  The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 25, 1990

“The Bonitafest Parade, part of Bonita’s community celebration Oct. 13, is in good hands this year, organizers say. The chairman of the annual South Bay event is Frederick ‘Fritz’ Fairbanks, 49, a painter, children’s book author, teacher, philanthropist and avowed optimist who has not let his disability hinder his talents.

“Fairbanks was 19 when he was nearly killed in a car accident while driving on a Wichita, Kansas, turnpike. The accident left him nearly a quadriplegic, but still full of hope. He had enough movement left in his arms to pick up a brush and learn to paint.

“It seemed therapeutic then, but now painting is an artistic endeavor for Fairbanks, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art. He recently submitted three children’s books to a publisher, he said. ‘When I first got hurt, I didn’t say, ‘Why did this have to happen to me?’  he said. ‘I thanked God I was alive and later told myself, ‘You can do anything you want.’ 

“Before moving to Bonita with his parents 18 years ago, Fairbanks was an assignment editor at a TV news station in his hometown of Minneapolis. Fairbanks organizes monthly collections of toys and clothes for needy children in Tijuana.

” ‘It makes me feel good,’ he said. 

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History, humor inspire next week’s Wild West Bonitafest

 By Caitlin Rother,  San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA)

“When Lacey Johnson lost her crown in the 1991 Miss Bonita beauty pageant for being 18 days too old, she unknowingly inspired playwright Max Branscomb. Johnson, who said she didn’t know about the age rule, learned two days after the 1991 pageant that she could not qualify for the title and therefore had to pass the crown to the first runner-up, Adrien Van Matre. ‘It was quite an uproar around here. We don’t have many uproars around here, do we Fritz?’ Branscomb said to Fritz Fairbanks, parade chairman of the Wild West Bonitafest.

“Branscomb used Johnson’s loss as a germ for his latest work, Miss Bonita: The Musical Comedy, his 10th melodrama since 1978 when he started writing them for the festival. As Branscomb has been readying Miss Bonita: The Musical Comedy, Fritz Fairbanks has been busy contacting bands and other groups to perform in this year’s parade, which he hopes will include at least 15 musical groups.

“Fairbanks, 53, put together his first parade in 1989, after the festival went one year without a parade. 

“‘Trying to put it back together in ’89 was strange,’ said Fairbanks as he sat in the apartment from which he organizes the entire parade by phone. He managed to get two bands to commit to participating, but both pulled out at the last minute. ‘It certainly was the worst one I ever did,’ said Fairbanks.

“Despite the initial mishaps, Branscomb praised Fairbanks for helping the parade to grow over the years. ‘It’s become quite a bit more sophisticated,’ Branscomb said. ‘Fritz has taken the parade to new levels.’

“One drawback to coordinating the parade is that Fairbanks hasn’t been able sit back and watch the spectacle for five years. That’s because he has to sit in his wheelchair at the start of the procession to make sure the participants step up to the line and march down the street, in character, when they are supposed to. ‘I get to see them as regular people,’ said Fairbanks. ‘When they get on the parade route, they turn into clowns and bands.’

“Organizers expect 70,000 to watch the parade and join in the festivities, which include 350 food and craft booths. The festival also will feature a barbecue, western music, and free line dancing lessons. Tickets for the barbecue — on sale throughout the community and at the door — are $10 for adults, $5 for children 5 to 10, and no charge for children under 4.”

Editor’s Note: We were unable to find images of Fred Fairbanks’ paintings. If you can help, please get in touch with Marilyn (mbellert@niu.edu).