WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FRED SVARNEY?
by Graham Pugh
 

AS webmaster, I get asked a lot of things.  Most of them fit into the “do you know the whereabouts of” or “what ever happened to” category.  That being said, I thought it would be a good idea to find out whatever happened to Fred Svarney – the classmate I get asked about the most! 

I first met Fred when we were 5^th grade classmates at Hortt Elementary School.  I had recently arrived from England and our teacher Mrs. LaVake, gave Fred the assignment of teaching me the Pledge of Allegiance. Later that year, my very first Halloween was spent with Fred and Bob Stibal.  Those two guys were my first American friends.
 

Fred was a great athlete. In grade school I remember us 5th graders would always beat the 6th grade in softball mainly because of Fred's abilities!   Many of us believe that he would have enjoyed a career in professional football if it weren't for a skateboarding accident.

During his senior year at Stranahan, Fred’s reputation as a first-rate quarterback earned him a football scholarship at Memphis State University.  He reported to camp late in the summer of 1965 only to discover he could not play to potential, having been severely injured in a skateboarding accident earlier that year.  While at camp, an examination revealed that he had sustained ligament damage and the coaches required him to wear a brace during practice. This did not work out very well and with few remaining options, Fred returned to Fort Lauderdale. He attended classes at Broward Junior College for a semester and shortly thereafter, joined the US Army.  The Viet Nam conflict was well underway during this period, and Fred served a tour of duty there that lasted exactly one year to the day!

Returning home, Fred enrolled at the University of Florida in Gainesville, eventually graduating with a BSE degree with a minor in Business Administration.  It is interesting to note that during his college days at UF, Fred’s roommate was none other than classmate Craig Evans!

After graduation, Fred returned to Fort Lauderdale and worked as a medical investigator for an insurance company.  Shortly thereafter, an opportunity for a career in pharmaceutical sales distribution came his way and the rest is history!
 

Somewhere along the way, Fred met Ann Griffin who worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines.  They were married in 1974 and later had two children – a daughter Kim and a son Scott.  Kim graduated from the University of Florida in 2003 and is an account supervisor for a large advertising agency.  Son Scott, following in his dad’s footsteps, was an all-county and all-state football player at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. He was later awarded a football scholarship by the University of Toledo.  Scott plans to graduate from Florida State University in December 2008.
 

After a successful career in pharmaceutical sales, Fred retired in 2006.  He lives with his wife Ann in Parkland, Florida and is enjoying life.