Fred began his political career long before most children think beyond their next little league ball game or their next date. His beloved grandfather, Guy Slusher was a devout Democrat who taught his grandson the basics of wanting to be politically active. Fred took the lessons to heart. He loved the combat of a campaign.
As a teen, Fred was a page in the Virginia General Assembly for then-Del. Dick Cranwell. (By the way, he had already been politically active in Cranwell's campaigns, learning first-hand those grassroots skills that would serve him so well.)
He honed his skill as an organizer with "Mudcat" Saunders, a master of rural political organizing. Before his 21st birthday, Fred was the campaign chairman working to get Onzlee Ware elected as the first African-American member of the House of Delegates from west of Charlottesville. He then went with Ware to Richmond as his legislative aide.
I met Freddie when he was the field organizer for the Jim Webb campaign in the 5th, 6th, and 9th congressional districts. Covering about half of the state geographically may seem impossible for some to even contemplate, but look at the results. Jim Webb sits in the Senate today - perhaps the most effective first-term senator in my memory.
Since Jim Webb's election, Fred has served as western Virginia's representative for Sen. Webb. Anyone who called the office and talked to Fred knows how effective he was, how orgainzed he was, how much he will be missed.
The memorial service today was a heartfelt tribute to a wonderful young man. Mudcat, Onzlee, Jim Webb, Dick Cranwell, Chip Woodrum, friends from his youth - all spoke to honor the man they all loved. Each had warm and humorous stories of the man they hated to say goodbye to.
As Sen. Webb said - quoting his grandmother's favorite scripture - "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, for God's love has been poured into our hearts."
That love gave us Fred Hutchins for 26 short years. That hope will continue.
Do you want to know what Fred is telling us now? Get busy and organize....we have an election to win!
Mudcat introduced me to Fred early in 2006 as we all came together to work on Jim Webb's U. S. Senate campaign, and our friendship and mutual respect for one another grew exponentially from that time forward. No job was too large or small for Fred Hutchins, and the number of hours that he put into Jim's campaign was staggering.
Back then, when I eventually learned to my dismay that Fred was only 24 years old, I was even more amazed by his intellect, maturity and talents as I watched him continue to grow into the remarkable young man that we all got to know so quickly, and so well.
For one so young, Fred Hutchins possessed uncanny natural political abilities, and he understood completely and instinctively the effectiveness and power of timing. When asked, Fred would calmly offer advice to candidates, some of whom like me were more than twice his age, and we would all be the wiser to take it.
Our two sons were born in 1980 and 1982, and Fred was born in 1981, so I would often think of him as being like one of them. However, Fred also functioned in the roles of brother, friend and mentor - yes, he mentored those many years his senior.
Fred's admiration and respect for Jim Webb was complete and unequaled. Once, last year, when Fred and I had driven our cars to a small airport in the New River Valley to pick up Webb and some of his staff members, Jim greeted us with a hug as he walked across the tarmac from the plane.
Later that evening, Fred asked me how many U. S. Senators did I think would hug their staff members, and I said, "One..." and he nodded his head and smiled.
After the memorial service, I entered the reception area loaded with family members and friends of Fred Hutchins, all talking and laughing and remembering the good times. For a split second, I looked around for Fred and, again, the realization that he is gone struck me hard. But then I realized that, because memories of Fred were so strong in that room, he was right there with us after all.
The world is a better place - and we are better people - because of Fred Hutchins' time with us, even though it was much too brief...
Goodbye, Fred.
Thanks.
Steve