Doc's History
Gone But Not Forgotten
Captain Aubrey Lynn Fargarson, United States Air Force Academy Class of 1964, died of a heart attack in Austin, TX on December 31, 2000. Doc passed away after a sudden heart fibrillation starved his brain of oxygen and snuffed out the candle of his life. He was buried in Carthage on January 3, 2001 by his wife, Joan.
Doc was born in Carthage, TX on February 28, 1942 to Aubrey Lee and Mary Lucille Alexander Fargarson. Doc was in the 8th Cadet Squadron at the Academy. Although we were classmates, I didn't really know him until pilot training at Reese AFB, TX in the Class of 66B. There he immediately made me a friend for life with his quick wit, sardonic humor, and love of a good party. Together with Marty Neuens and Ed Underwood, we rented an apartment off base for weekend parties and relaxation. Doc was the chief sangria mixer and the resident sports expert. It was during these low-key weekends that Doc introduced us all to the Cajun humor of Justin Wilson, whose lines “Is that you, or is that your brother?” and “I guarantee!” became the “What's up” of our lives.
Doc and I stayed together through C-130A training and were both assigned to Naha AB in Okinawa. Nine months later Doc helped Jim Lemon and I celebrate our reassignments with champagne at the Officers Club, before delivering us safe and sound to Kadena AB at midnight for our flight back to Hurlburt for training. After dropping us off, Doc decided to sleep outdoors like the rugged outdoorsman that he was, so he pulled over and sprawled on the ground next to his car. At dawn he sprung up from his resting place on the ninth green of the Kadena golf course, drove down the fairway and back onto the roads for an uneventful trip home. Doc went off flying status at his last Air Force duty station, Lockbourne AFB, Columbus, Ohio, and he ended his Air Force career as an administrative officer there.
To the Air Force's misfortune it was unable to utilize or challenge Doc's strongest suit, his intelligence. So Doc separated and went back to Texas where he found the intellectual challenge he needed with Electronic Data Systems, Ross Perot's computer services company. While in Dallas, he met and married his soul mate for 28 years, Joan Harris. Doc became a father to Joan's two boys, David and Bob, arid the four of them thrived as a family. After years in Dallas and even a stint in Chicago, they moved to Austin where Doc became a senior insurance consultant with the Texas Workers Compensation Fund.
Doc was the rarest of people, a highly intelligent man with common sense. He could immediately see through subterfuge and hyperbole, and he could alternately argue both sides of any controversy and be equally convincing and persuasive defending either viewpoint. Doc never let the facts speak for themselves or get in the way of an interesting argument or discussion, In fact, I thought that Doc actually preferred to enter verbal contests of all sorts completely unencumbered by facts. He was delightful, charming, clever and sarcastic; a loyal and true friend; and I will miss him deeply. My heartfelt condolences to his wife, Joan, children David McGregor and Bob Mask, grandchildren Bob, Steven, and Kristian Mask, brother Gus Fargarson, sister Janie McFaden, their spouses and families.
(Jack Sweeney, Class of 1964, Gone But Not Forgotten, Checkpoints, Winter 2001)
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