Frederick Watson Foushee Jr.

 Frederick Watson Foushee Jr., 73, died on Monday, January 29, in Yorba Linda, California with his children lovingly by his side.Fred was born on October 24, 1944 in San Francisco, California to Frederick and Roberta Foushee Sr. Although born in California, he was always a country boy at heart and spent most of his childhood years growing up in Hammond, Indiana. Fred lived a huge life. No matter what he did, he did it to the max, with extreme passion, and he did it WELL.Fred completed his undergraduate work at Indiana State University and went on to graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1969 with a Doctorate in Dentistry. Post-graduation, Fred married, and then served a 3-year tour in the Army as a Captain and Doctor of Dentistry at Fort Gordon, Georgia. In 1972, he moved to Laguna Hills, California where he eventually started his own private dental practice. He successfully practiced dentistry for 23 years until he retired and decided to pursue his true passion of woodworking.He was brilliant, artistic, and truly gifted in the craft of woodworking. His love for math, critical thinking and working with his hands served him well and he became the master of his trade. From custom cabinetry, to ornate staircases, to the most exquisite pieces of custom built furniture…no matter how complicated the order was, he could create it. He was also a master carver and could hand carve the most intricate designs and incorporate those designs into his projects. He was highly sought after for his skill by numerous clients, but also made time to create numerous custom pieces for his children, grandchildren, and also his own home. Throughout his adulthood he had a passion for fitness. He was a champion at indoor handball, he ran numerous marathons, spent the 80’s doing hard-core aerobics (always in the front row of the class), lifted weights in the gym, and competed in beach volleyball with young men half his age. He was a stellar athlete. He also was a master gardener. He enjoyed harvesting all types of vegetables, but by far, his most favorite crop to grow was tomatoes. His home-grown tomatoes were like nothing you have ever tasted. Pure heaven. And Fred was always eager to share the fruits of his labor with family and those who lived around him.Fred had a lot of favorites. He was a huge sports fanatic, and more specifically, he loved the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Chargers. He attended countless games with friends and family. But, above all, University of North Carolina Basketball was at the top of his favorites list. He was so proud of his alma mater. Come February - March, Fred would schedule his days around college ball. If he was in his shop woodworking, you could bet that NCAA ball would be on the radio. But, come time for a televised UNC game, you would find Fred in his living room, enjoying a Budweiser, pacing in front of the TV and cheering on his beloved Tarheels. Without fail, he religiously wore his UNC class ring for every Carolina game that he watched. He was a Tarheel through and through.Among other favorites, Fred enjoyed a passion for music, trivia, storytelling, and jokes. Jackson Browne was his favorite artist, but he really loved so many different types of music. Also, everyone wanted to be his partner is Trivial Pursuit because he was unbeatable. His ability to recall dates, names and events was unbelievable. He could also take the most boring story, embellish it, and retell it to a group of listeners in a way that had them begging for more. And, you could always count on Fred to tell a great “off-color” joke, that to those who didn’t know him, would be blushing. But to those who knew him, they would be gut-laughing, tearing up, and asking for another. He was classic.In 2008, Fred left California and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina with his wife for a quieter life. He built his dream home there, continued to enjoy his usual hobbies and found a new passion for hiking in the hills of Carolina. He joined a hiking group with which he shared many long, rigorous, but beautiful hikes. He eventually became the leader of that hiking group.Fred is survived by his four children: Russell Foushee and his wife Julia; Amy Schuberg and her husband Ken; Matthew Foushee and his wife Nancy; and Ashlee Litson.He is survived by his grandchildren: Amanda Prettyman and her husband Brandon; Ryan Foushee; Lyndsey Foushee; Melissa Schuberg; Nathan Schuberg; Patrick Schuberg; Peyton Schuberg; Charlotte Schuberg; Skyler Litson and Cayden Litson.He is also survived by his great grandchildren: Reagan and Jackson Prettyman.Fred’s legacy will be carried on in so many ways. UNC basketball, home grown tomatoes, Jackson Browne songs, hysterical jokes to be retold for generations, and most importantly, Fred’s furniture pieces, which will be cherished by his children and grandchildren for many years to come.Fred will be laid to rest, along with his beloved cat Jack, on Monday, February 26, 2018 at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greensboro, North Carolina.