Summer 2004 Edition

Fair Lawn's Hall of Fame   See the Spring 2004 and the Fall 2003 for more on Fair Lawn's Hall of Fame.    Ray & Larry Gold I wish to nominate my parents Ray and Larry Gold. For more than fifty years before their passing, my parents filled their home on Eberlin Drive with love and tender care. It was their first "house," the place where they would raise their family - where they would realize their own dreams, and wish for the future happiness and prosperity of their children. My mother and father set a beautiful example of great strength, courage and love throughout their lives. They understood that life is a journey that takes us through conflicts of passion and conscience, disappointments and tragedies. But life also takes us to unknown places in the heart and mind that are filled with wonder and creativity. My parents gave their children the gifts of their love and strength, and the encouragement to explore those unknown places.   My parents were not involved in politics or well-known community leaders. But it is because of so many people like Ray and Larry Gold that Fair Lawn grew to be such a wonderful place to grow up, to go to school and to realize our own dreams. They are part of Fair Lawn's true legacy - Fair Lawn's Hall of Fame.  Submitted by Marion E. Gold    Nominating Andrew Fox I would like to nominate Andrew E. Fox and his son Andrew J. Fox for their devotion to their home town. Serving Fair Lawn in the fire department and through politics, they worked selflessly to see Fair Lawn prosper and grow into a great place to live. Please give them the recognition they deserve as a founding father and loyal son.   Andrew E. Fox (1895 -1944) My grandfather Andrew E. Fox devoted much of his life to improve Fair Lawn. Small Lots (as Fair Lawn was known then) was neglected by Saddle River Township and he felt his neighbors deserved better schools, roads, and services. Andrew E. Fox helped lead the fight in Fair Lawn's secession from Saddle River Township. He served on the first town council from 1924 to1926. Later he served as tax assessor for 17 years.   Andrew E. Fox helped Maurice Pine establish Fair Lawn's first library. Mr. Fox sought to provide recreational opportunities for Fair Lawn's youth through his work at the Fair Lawn Athletic Club and worked to provide the borough with the schools, roads, services, and recreation needed to make Fair Lawn grow.  While doing all this Andrew E. Fox worked for the Guaranty Trust Co. in New York, volunteered in the fire department, and helped keep the books for the Fair Lawn A.C. and some of the Fox family businesses. He was a selfless man who worked hard for his community. Andrew E. Fox died in 1944 at the age of 49 leaving behind a wife and six children. His oldest son, Andy Fox, was in the Army Air Corps at that time and was later to follow in his father's footsteps.   Andrew J. Fox (1920 - 2004 )  Andy Fox served in the fire department for Company #1 as a young man. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 and served in China - Burma. In 1950 Andy returned to Fair Lawn to start a family. He rejoined the fire department this time at Company #4 and later became Fire Chief in 1961.   In 1963 Andy Fox successfully ran for a seat on the town council and started his political career. While in office he served on the welfare board, was liaison to the fire board, Deputy Mayor 1969 -1971, and Mayor 1971 - 1972. Andy Fox served on the town council from 1963 to 1974 keeping his father's vision for a better Fair lawn alive.   Andy Fox helped accomplish many improvements for Fair Lawn during his tenure on the town council. He sought to update the fire equipment and established a fire training center for Fair Lawn's Fire Department. Andy Fox worked to improve Fair Lawn's roads, street lighting, and water supply and to expand the sewer plant. The new Fair Lawn Library and the Adult Cultural Center were also achieved during his time on the council. Providing Fair Lawn with better parks and recreation were also goals he sought to obtain for the town's youth.   Andy Fox worked hard for the people of Fair Lawn and did it quietly never boasting of his achievements.  My father never talked about politics and did not boast of his father's accomplishments. Thank You, The Fox Family   Nominating Jay Freidman I would like to nominate our late son Jay I. Friedman. Jay was a wonderful kid who, due to the fact that he was not a healthy boy, was a cause for all of Fair Lawn to pull together in a wonderful cause to try to keep him alive. This of course goes all the way back to 1975, almost 29 years to the day when Jay was taken from us. He was one of the youngest people to be a heart transplant participant. The whole town pulled together in a fundraiser for us to be able to get the care that Jay needed at Stanford University Hospital in California. The prayers and the wonderful wishes will be long remembered by Jay's family and close friends who to this day will talk about how wonderful the town of Fair Lawn was to him. Thank you, Lois & Norman Friedman   Sports Hall of Famers I read with interest the piece in Fair Lawn News about Hall Of Fame nominations. I agree with most of them. In the category of "other," Dr. Dave Sime, Frank Bennett and Virgil Sasso are mentioned. All are great names in FLHS sports history.   I believe the first is really Dr. Dave Sime, who played on Frank Bennett's 1953 Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) championship football team. He went on to be the eye doctor for the Miami Dolphins and his daughter, Lisa, is married to a recently retired Denver BRONCOS receiver named McCaffrey. Dave was known as "The World's Fastest Human."   Frank Bennett was the Fair Lawn High football coach 1945 - 60 and his teams won the B-PIL title in 1945, shared it with Bogota in '46 and Lyndhurst in '47 and won it in '53 and '55, the year my twin brother, Bill, and I were managers or "water boys." Frank's '53 CUTTERS shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State Championship with the COMETS of Hackensack. Frank was the wrestling coach for many years and was recently elected to the National Wrestling Hall Of Fame. He was also a wrestling and track official. The high school gym is named after this great man.   Virgil G. ("Virge") Sasso was Fair Lawn High School Athletic Director 1944 - 78 and, for many, years taught biology. In later years he was also a vice principal but Virge was never Superintendent Of Schools. The Fair Lawn High School Athletic Field and Stadium are named after this great man.   I hope you find this information helpful and interesting. I enjoy reading Fair Lawn News on the fairlawnnews.com web site and I couldn't help but notice the interesting Hall Of Fame section. Dick Engelhardt