Fred Case   (Biology/Natural Science - Arthur Hill High School)
1927 - 2011

Fred Case, born February 16, 1927, passed due to complications from prostate cancer on January 12, 2011 at the age of 83.  Nature lover, educator, botanist, and expert gardener, Frederick W. Case Jr. never forgot a student’s name, relatives recalled. He was a longtime biology and natural science teacher at Arthur Hill High School.  He cared about his students and never forgot their names,” said his son, David B. Case of Thomas Township. The son recalled a time on vacation when a former student approached his father. “He didn’t think my dad remembered him. Not only did Dad remember his name, he called off the name of the students that sat around him,” said Case, 54. “What shocked me was that the kid was in his class 30 years earlier,” said Frederick Case’s daughter-in-law, Sharon Leaman-Case, 54. “He never forgot a name.”

David Case said his dad also enjoyed opera, classical music and fine dining. Frederick was married to Roberta Elizabeth Case for 45 years, until her death in 1998. And besides being “a champion of his students,” Frederick Case was passionate about orchids, flowers, and nature his son said. Case was a founding member of the Saginaw Valley Orchid Society, his son said. Frederick Case wrote or co-wrote “Orchids of the Western Great Lakes Region,” “Trillium” and “Wildflowers of the Great Lakes Region.” He won the All Area Arts Award in 2002 from the Saginaw Community Enrichment Commission. “He also wrote numerous articles on plants, gardens and orchids,” his son said. “People worldwide visited his garden. Someone could call to ask him a question about gardening, and he would invite them over. They would most of the time leave with plants and his friendship.” Sharon Leaman-Case said her father-in-law once turned down an offer from Martha Stewart to take pictures of his garden. “She was just starting out on television and wanted to take pictures of his garden and interview him, but he didn’t know who she was, so he turned her down. I would always tease him about it,” she said.