It’s never too late to reconnect with your Farragut Family… even after 62 years!
Fred Nelson ’59S (left) and Stephen Hice ’60S (non-grad) reconnect after 62 years.
Stephen Hice attended Admiral Farragut Academy’s St. Petersburg campus from 1956-1958. After 62 years and what seemed like an entire lifetime, Stephen contacted Victoria Raymer in Farragut’s alumni office in order to reconnect with his former roommate, Fred Nelson ‘59S. They have had several conversations since then, reminiscing about a time that left a great impression on both of their lives. Stephen shared the following letter to Fred that is a testament to the impact Farragut had on their lives.
Stephen’s Letter to Fred
“Dear Fred, I came across your photo while browsing the Admiral Farragut Academy website and recognized you immediately. You may recall I was once your roommate. I still have my yearbooks and they bring back good memories as I look through them often and remember lots of cadets.
I remember constant drilling, passing in review, playing football, and study hall. As I recall, you introduced me to classical/Opera music and that is my favorite today. You liked collecting stamps. I remember hanging out at the Canteen and working on the drill team.
I volunteered for $4/week as a waiter and, during “first, second, and third mess,” delivered food to tables in the mess hall. I also worked with the nurse, Mrs. Myers, and delivered food to sick cadets in the infirmary across the creek.
It took me a few months to get adjusted, but I finally learned that I did not like working off demerits carrying a rifle in the hot Florida sun on Saturday when I could be on liberty. After those first few months I rarely got a demerit. As I recall, merits canceled demerits, so I built up a large number of merits. You might get a demerit for a missing collar-stay, shoes that were not spit-shined, or a tarnished belt buckle. Being late for any formation was a guaranteed demerit.
Farragut taught cadets discipline as this helped me later in life. I think I matured significantly as a result of going to Farragut.
Farragut taught cadets discipline as this helped me later in life. I think I matured significantly as a result of going to Farragut.
I wanted to stay at Farragut and graduate, but my father started a fishing business in Alaska and took me with him. I finished high school and then moved to Atlanta to attend Georgia Tech. I majored in Chemical Engineering but later switched to Applied Mathematics, graduating in 1966. Following graduation, I was employed by Boeing Aerospace in Huntsville AL as a mathematician and spent the next five years working on the Apollo Saturn V booster.
After the space program I was employed by Western Electric in Atlanta, and later, Lucent Technologies, and finally to Bell Labs in Greensboro, NC. (all these companies were under the AT&T umbrella.) While in Atlanta my company helped me get a Master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Information and Computer Sciences. In Greensboro, NC to work on prep school contracts with the DOD (Navy contracts). I retired in 1998 and moved to Lake City, FL (my wife’s home), and started teaching math at Florida Gateway College. Now, 22 years later, I teach math as an Adjunct Professor.
Although at Farragut I was a struggling student, I attribute my later academic and career successes to the discipline and regimen learned at Farragut. I see that lots of changes have taken place –girls going to Farragut, air-conditioned rooms, etc. but it is still the great school it was when we attended –actually much better!“
Stephen and Fred Today in 2020
Fred is still a practicing physician in Michigan and an active alumnus who attended the last two Alumni Homecoming gatherings. Fred shared that he was in shock when he received the letter from Stephen, “I have thought about him over the years and there out of the blue I received his letter. It’s amazing after all these years to reconnect and see where life has taken him. I am forever grateful for the friendships I made at Farragut.”
