Fess Parker------An Icon Remembered

It's the little things that of life that are important! It's the things that we really do not stop and take note of that figure greatly on those we meet and know! The simple words and seemingly little gestures may have profound meanings to those who receive them. It's these types of acts that I will forever remember Fess Parker. It's these acts for which I will be eternally grateful!
The year 2006 was a very significant one for me. It was the year that I decided to follow a hunch! While watching the morning program "Regis and Kelly" on ABC I noticed that one of the prizes given to a phone in contestant was a seven day stay at Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn and Spa plus a visit to his winery----both not far from the small town of Los Olivos, California. I contacted Kimberly Charles of Charles Communications in San Francisco who was then the publicist for Fess Parker. I wanted some comments for an article that I was doing for East of the City magazine on Wine and Chocolate. Fess Parker responded with his choices as well as a nice note mailed to me along with several signed labels of his wine brands. It's the little things that make life worthwhile!
I later decided to do an article on Fess Parker and the Santa Barbara region. This blossomed into a television episode called "The Wine Frontier" and culminated in a terrific interview with Fess Parker.
Fess Parker was a tall very slim 82 year old whose good looks and smile could charm the most ardent of grumps. We had agreed to do the interview at his Fess Parker Winery in the very encompassing porch. We weren't too far from the two very large doors that constituted the entrance of the boutique.
He walked up the pathway from the parking lot about fifty yards to the side of the winery and noticed that there were some people waiting to visit. He peaked in and then banged on the door. Then turned around and looking at me said, "Mr. Byers?"
Those were the first words that he said to me and I will remember them forever! There he was, the person who I grew up with! There he was! Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, The dad from Old Yeller, Mr. Smith from the Mr. Smith Goes To Washington television series, The Jayhawkers where he fought another idol of mine "Jeff Chandler". He stood there with a smile that melted any apprehension I had. It's the little things that make life worthwhile!
We had an excellent interview. During this discussion, I always referred to him as Mr. Parker. I had (and still have) the habit of using the formal address for a person unless specifically asked to use another one. During the interview he said, "Please, call me Fess!" At that m0ment, he could have given me a million dollars and I would not have been more thrilled! It's the little things that make life worthwhile!
During the interview he shared a number of things with me but the thing that stuck with me the most was when I asked him why he decided to leave the "film" business. His answer was "You can be too long at the fair!" He told me that he had a family and other responsibilities and it was time for him to leave the fair and move on to other things. That he did and he did it in his own way and own manner!
One didn'thave to be a buddy to know that Fess was an amazing person------that He was kind, loving and gentle but also inwardly tough with had an amazing sense of business. It didn't surprise me that he accomplished much in his lifetime. The thing that stuck with me was his soft spoken nature and the aura of "fairness" that surrounded him. I liked him but now it wasn't the star struck, hero worshipping "me" liking him. It was more on the level of person to person.
He was the kind of person who would listen to your complaints if any and then simply say, "Well, can we discuss this a bit!" It wasn't a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it was a sign of strength and security. I imagine that Fess Parker could really "dig his heels in" if forced to!
During the following years, I made it a point to visit Santa Barbara and Los Olivos. The second time I visited it was with my family. Fess, his wife Marcella (Marcy) , daughter Ashley and the rest of the family were wonderful to us. It was the occasion of Taryn's birthday and we gathered at the weekly sing-a-long that was held at the Fess Parker Wine and Country Inn and Spa we were seated to hear the various guests take a stab at singing when Fess came up to the microphone and sang Taryn a Happy Birthday! It's the little things that make life worthwhile! My two subsequent visits to Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez did not include meeting with Fess since he was very ill. I did however see some of the family and sent my regards. I am sorry that our paths did not cross again. I always came out of a meeting with him feeling that I had gained something and was the better for it!
Fess's statement about staying too long at the fair will be the one thing that will always stay with me for some reason. Maybe at some point, when my time comes, Fess Parker will meet me and say "Welcome to the fair, stay awhile!" Fess from the bottom of my heart, you will be missed!!!