I just found out about Rick's passing earlier today. I had him as a professor of Old Testament and Systematic Theology at Winnipeg Bible College.  In fact, I think I had him as a professor for more courses than any other individual professor during my time at WBC.  He had a very creative style of teaching that I believe many of his students appreciated. One of the biggest memories that I have of him was when he and Judy would show up and Freemen sports events with a gigantic bag of popcorn. . .and that bag making its way through the spectators for all to share! Thank you Judy for sharing him with so many of us! I am looking forward to seeing him in Glory!!

Dear Mrs. Fairman,

I attended WBC in the late 80’s and early ‘90’s when Dr Fairman was teaching. He taught us so many things we could “put in our back pocket and take with us.”  So many times I’ve been challenged in life and the teachings, the faith, and the examples of his life and dedication to the Word of God has helped me through to blessings and light. A huge loss for this life, and great gain for heaven. May your memories comfort you of his love, life and light. My sincere condolences. 

Heather Goertzen

Dear Judy and family! 

How saddened I am to hear of Dr. Rick's passing.  Wonderful memories of his classes, the Old Testament Party and of course the Gumball Machine flood my mind along with the great truths I learned under his teaching at WBC. Please accept my condolences as you grieve his passing. 

1. Dear Judy- my heart is heavy for you and your family, as I just learned of Rick’s passing. I’ve known him since we were in high school and we hung out together at church youth group at Halethorpe Community Church and Youth for Christ on Saturday nights. We were great friends. I saw him come to his relationship with his Lord.  Rick was a special friend. Since then, we only got together a few times and through Christmas cards and email. I know he is with his Lord and Savior now. I also shed a tear as I learn of his passing because he was a special person. I send my sympathy to you and my love. You and your family will be in my prayers for God’s great gift of peace. Suzanne Roszell

Rick was always such a caring person at family gatherings and when you visited our home. He will be missed so much. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please feel our love and hugs over the miles. 

Denny and Linda Brown

Our hearts and prayers go out to you, Judy, and all of the family at this time of great loss. It is hard to imagine that Rick has been graduated to heaven after so many years of service here on earth. I (Bud) first met Rick when we were students together in graduate school over 50 years ago. We’ve shared a bond of friendship through the years, working together in a church after seminary, and maintaining a lifelong rapport and friendship, though separated by great distances. It was a real privilege to participate in each other’s weddings as groomsmen. 

 His sharp mind and caring spirit for others were such a unique and rare combination of character. He truly loved God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength as well as loving others. This was a great blessing…shared with us all! It is a great assurance to know that he is in the presence of His Savior, as David expressed…”In Your presence is fulness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11

These words from C.S. Lewis help us reflect on the gift that God gave us us all in the life of Rick. “In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers…But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves.  

With our love and prayers,  Bud and Nancy Pederson

We are so sorry. His love for his wife and his children was strong. And what a gift he was to his granddaughter.  We were thankful for their visit for a Florida Thanksgiving gathering. 

I can still recall listening to he and Charles talking about theology, or a passage in the Bible,  most of it was way beyond my understanding. And then they would simplify it for me. A special gift.  Rick will be greatly missed. 

Dr. Fairman is one of the kindest men you would ever meet. There was never a time that he appeared too busy not to give of himself and show his true care for you. Dr. Fairman was more than a college professor, he was a godly example of theology in practice. While the above picture is not our wedding, my wife and I had the privilege of Dr. Fairman officiating our own marriage. I remember laughing to myself as he put my wife's ring on his own finger like he's doing here. Marriage is a picture of our eternal relationship with Christ, which Dr. Fairman now enjoys on a level that we hope for in Christ. 

Mrs. Fairman, you and your family are in our prayers during this emotional time 

Andrew 

The word I keep coming back to thinking of Dr. Fairman is Joy - and I'm sure I'm not alone in this. It was an abundant joy that overflowed in genuine care for the people in his life - students, family, friends, church members, and strangers alike - in a deep interest for their good, and a sharing of what he had to that end. For many of us, that was sharing what he had acquired in years of biblical study (though by no means limited to that). And he was the best kind of teacher.

I last saw Dr. Fairman at my wedding just over 10 years ago. A picture hangs in our kitchen of my wife and I walking down the aisle - we see it every day - and just to the side, and an aisle or so behind us, we see Dr. Fairman's face. At our reception I remember him sitting with us for some time, encouraging us in our future together. I recall him recommending churches in the area where we were moving.

Although that was 10 years ago - and I think it has been over 13 or 14 years since sitting in his class - just within the past few weeks I was drawing on material gleaned from an assignment in his Early Church class while preparing a lesson for my own church. It was a profile of Barnabas, whose humility and spirit of encouragement I found so compelling as a student then, having the added benefit of seeing this example lived out in someone like Dr. Fairman.

In our Life of Christ class, there was a day Dr. Fairman's love for Jesus brought him to tears. We were working together as a class on a special capstone project, and it wasn't easy. From his heart, Dr. Fairman reminded us just what it was we were doing in that class - in studying the gospels and striving to better understand them, we were drawing nearer to our most loving Lord. He added that this particular semester was so meaningful for him because he had the opportunity for his own son to be in there studying the life of Jesus with him.

I was privileged to witness a similar tenderness shown by Dr. Fairman to his son at Jon's baptism, where Dr. Fairman himself baptized Jon. Of all that could be said of that special day, it was a remarkable picture of a man passing on the faith to a new generation. And in many ways I think that will sum up how I remember him.

One thing I am fairly confident I will never forget - since I come back to it I think every time someone I know dies in the Lord - was something Dr. Fairman reminded me of when sharing prayer requests before class. A friend of the family had just passed away, and I was asking we pray the family would be comforted. I noted this man "was a Christian", to which Dr. Fairman responded - without missing a beat - "He still is."