The Doctor is in the House

The Doctor With The Star Studded Classrooms

I am a retired history and government teacher and am now very involved in the entertainment media, writing Christian novels, travel and grandchildren. I was married to the former Carolyn Harr of Grundy, Virginia, a retired kindergarten teacher. My soul mate sadly died in April 2024, We have two children, Carol Webster (married to Buddy) a now retired drama teacher and Fred II (married to Mary Kay) a Christian minister who is now working with college international students. We have five grandchildren, William Webster, Anne Marie Eichelman, Josiah David Eichelman, Michael Fredric Patrick Webster, and Fredric Charles Eichelman. Plus a Great Graddaughter, Lily Mae Webster.

I began my life in Cleveland, Ohio and developed an early love for reading, writing, history, films and the Cleveland Indians. Later I became a letter writer and autograph collector which put me in contact with a number of people both in politics and film. My secondary education was at the Shenandoah Valley Academy in New Market, Virginia where my family moved when I was ten. After over seventy years I have deep ties with that school. Then it was Bridgewater College, the University of Virginia, University of Florida-South, and I received my doctors from Virginia Tech and State University.

Carolyn began her life in Grundy, Virginia, had her secondary education at Grundy High School and then went onto Radford University where she later would be nominated as a distinguished alumnus. . After work at the University of Virginia she went on to earn a Masters plus at Virginia Tech and State University.

My years since graduation from Bridgewater in 1957 have been spent in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia, mainly in Salem. During my teaching career I taught on both elementary and high school levels, was a principal, director of federal programs and a curriculum author. I also was president of my local education association, served as president for two terms of a state social studies teacher organization, edited a teacher newspaper and was appointed by three governors of Virginia to serve on three state boards.

Carolyn taught first in Roanoke City, was one of the first teachers in the War on Poverty Head Start program, and then taught the rest of her career in Roanoke County. Her area has been the primary grades with most of her work concentrating on kindergarten. She had the distinction of authoring the first kindergarten curriculum book for the state of Virginia. In the city of Salem in 1972 she was selected as the city's most outstanding young educator by the Salem Jaycees and was second runner up for outstanding young educator in the state of Virginia. Both she and I have trained a combined number of 50 student teachers. She was also active in Jaycettes, the Roanoke County Education Association and one of the founders of the Roanoke Valley Entomology Club. She has partnered with me in all my activities.

In our early years I was an Episcopalian and Carolyn was in the Church of Christ. We were married in the Presbyterian Church and remained in that denomination until 1976 when we became Southern Baptists. Dr. Charles Fuller was our inspiration for that. We have both been Sunday School teachers.

So far I have written thirteen books, three of them textbooks. Also articles for on the net publications.

My books may all be found on Amazon and my most popular seem to be A CAT’S TALE OF JESUS CHRIST, an anthology of four books on the life of Christ as seen by Chatool, a tuxedo cat.

For a while Carolyn and I also worked within Republican Party ranks. I was a local chairman, ran numerous campaigns and we had the opportunity to meet with and work with Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and U.S. Senator John Warner. Carolyn served as hostess for many political gatherings in our home.

I took early retirement in 1991 and Carolyn joined me in 1998. We had a dream come true with our first trip to England and returned several times. Also we were in Spain to visit our missionary family several times when they were there, as well as Italy, France and Jamaica.

For thirty five years we were involved in creating and running media conventions first known as RoVaCon, then Rising Star, and STARZ 2000 , a Christian Media Convention, Point North Outreach and now Happy Trails Film & TV Festival. Many of our friends mentioned above have been a major help as participants and in securing other guests. Carolyn's Guest/Staff parties were called legendary. Carolyn and I also ran a support group for a close actress pal Deanna Lund who starred as Valerie Scott in Land of the Giants. We named it The Friends of Deanna Lund and its primary charity was Victory Over Violence No More. It was through Deanna that I was able to co-write with her my first novel, Valerie in Giantland.

I have nearly died three times in my life and feel it is a miracle to be alive. Now 89 I have to depend upon excellent caregivers. I still write. I can definitely point to a miracle filled life and feel very blessed by God. Especially to have had Carolyn. I am a Christian and though I have met many celebrities in my lifetime, counting some as dear friends, it is Jesus Christ who is my best friend. I am a member of CommUNITY Baptist Church in Salem, VA. Carolyn shared this with me and I look forward to the great adventure we have ahead of us, both in this world and the next. For this world, there's still a lot to do and a great deal I still hope to learn.