Obituary of Edwin Eugene "Eddie" Fair

A service celebrating the life of Edwin Eugene “Eddie” Fair of Bastrop, LA will be held at 12 noon Saturday, November 13, 2021, in the chapel of Golden Funeral Home with Bro. Dennis Hackler officiating. The family will receive friends Friday, November 12, 2021 from 5 PM - 7 PM at Goldens. Eddie was born on February 3, 1941 at the Garnier Clinic in Bastrop. He passed away peacefully in the wee hours of Monday morning, November 8, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, W.E. Fair and Lyda Shockey Fair; his step-mother, Euna Fair; and his sister, Patsy Ruth Fair Ray. Eddie is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Dorothy Kay Messinger Fair; three children, Amie Kay Fair Foose and husband Robert of Bastrop, LA, Michael Lee Fair and wife Carmen of Monticello, AR, and William Alan Fair and wife Laura of Walland, TN. He is also survived by nine grandchildren of whom he was very proud, was his heart and he loved to the moon and back, Edwin Michael Foose and wife Emily of Jackson, MS, Jacob Seth Fair and Nicole of Monticello, AR, Katie Grace Fair of Chattanooga, TN, Sofia Kay Fair of Russellville, AR, Nathan William Fair of Walland, TN, Silas David Fair of Walland, TN, Jeffery Scott Kenley and wife Morgan of Cookeville, TN, Ava Michel Kenley of Walland, TN, and Jordan Davis Kenley of Walland, TN. Eddie also leaves one brother, Norman R. Fair of Woodward, OK, and one sister, Sylvia Fair (Nelbert) of Houston, TX, and a special life-long friend, Betty Naff Beard (Fred) of Woodworth, LA. He went to work when he was nine years old, selling newspapers on the square and said he started buying all of his clothes from that time. (One purchase he remembered was some socks he bought from Morgan & Lindsey in Bastrop for $0.10). When he was twelve he was old enough to have a bicycle paper route. He worked at an Amaco Service Station after school while in in Junior High and High School. Eddie liked to joke around that after he had been “invited” to repeat the 9th grade a third time, he left school and joined the United States Navy in 1958. He was granted a medical discharge in 1959 after being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic on a ship en route to Pearl Harbor. At the time there was only one bottle on insulin on the ship. Returning to Bastrop, he went to work for Bennie James at his Esso Service Station (it was there that he met Dottie). From the Esso Station he went to work for Turpin Lumber Company in Bastrop and soon after E.C. Barton Lumber Company in McGehee, AR. Eddie was transferred to Monticello, AR in 1969 and then to Monroe, LA in 1985. He retired in 1998. At the time of his passing Eddie was a member of Cherry Ridge Baptist Church and thoroughly enjoyed Mr. A.P. Owens’ Sunday School class. He also enjoyed crafting walking sticks (https://www.etsy.com/shop/MotherNaturesHelpers) and spending time with his dog, Molly Blue. Dottie and family would like to thank Dr. Carter Cox for his care and kindness over the past many years. His professionalism and dedication to the practice of Medicine, without question, added years of quality time that we were blessed to have with Eddie. Additionally we are appreciative for Brenda, Sarah, and Catherine. Thank you for always finding and making time for Eddie. Dottie would also like to thank those friends who have lifted them in prayer during Eddie’s many trials. He is now walking on the streets of gold with his new feet. Serving the family as pallbearers will be children, grandchildren, and Jerry Clingen. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Carter Cox, Fred Beard, A.P. Owens, Jim Wilson, Truman Hough, Bob Boyte, and Buck Harper. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association at diabetes.org, or by mail: American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116.