Frederick Rising-Moore, DVM, died on March 7, 2020, at the age of 104, Indianapolis, IN. Born in Brantford, Ontario on June 6, 1915, he lived a long and adventurous life, like earning tuition for his Canadian high school years by “hoboing” west each summer on the Canadian Pacific Railway where he spent the first two years in the Saskatchewan, and then Alberta, wheat fields. The following year he put excellent horse-riding skills to work for Brewster Transportation in Jasper, Alberta, where Fred was a trail guide in Yoho Valley and Lake Louise. His final trip as a hobo took him to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became “The Singing Cowboy” on the radio, creating mashups of songs like I’ve Been Working on the Railroad. His equestrian skills won awards at the Calgary Stampede, and his knack for yodeling won him every yodeling competition he ever entered. WWII took Fred to England with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division where, during the height of the London Blitz, he fell in love with his beautiful English bride, Kathleen Pell. Wife and first child escaped to the safety of Canada after Fred shipped to Italy for the Allied Invasion of Sicily, where he set up communications for Operation Husky. Surprised that he survived the war, Fred sailed home to Ontario in 1945, collected his family, added to it, and enrolled in Guelph Veterinary College, where he parked his handmade trailer on the athletic field with fellow WWII veterans and met best friends for life, Charles Firman and Gordon Wallace Diehl. Hired by the USDA, all three men moved their families to Indiana to test cattle in the early 50’s. They practiced small and large animal medicine across Indiana, all eventually opening clinics in Indianapolis. A born lecturer, Fred co-founded Hoosiers for Health, organized the first Indiana Libertarians, was a ballroom dancing medalist, sang with the Circle City Sound Barbershop Chorus and Quartets, and played bass drum for Doc Diehl’s original Gordon Pipers. So, Daddy-O, you’ve one last, magical adventure; get up on that mystery horse and ride ‘em cowboy!
Fred was proceeded in death by Kathleen and their son, Spencer; survived by sons Rick, Carl, Schaun, Adrian, Valyetti, and daughter Brenda; grandchildren Chris Ertel, Brody Ertel (Nicole), T’ai Rising-Moore, Amanda Nefouse (Tony), Kyle Cullina, Amelia Folger (David), and Carlos Rising-Moore. Great-grands: Masie Ertel, Jasmine Ertel, Max Nefouse, Sam Nefouse, Ari Nefouse, Isabelle Rising-Moore, David Rising-Moore. Services will be private.