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Owner of landmark general store dies at age 85

To loved ones, Harry Fehrman was a "regular guy" who was a fine man.

By MARYAN PELLAND
Published July 15, 2006

BROOKSVILLE - Harry Fehrman was a Brooksville boy who helped shape Hernando history.

He died Wednesday (July 5, 2006) at age 85.

Fehrman came to Brooksville at age 3.

"Harry was a regular guy," said Eddie McIntyre, his friend since Brooksville Elementary.

But "regular guy" doesn't mean run-of-the-mill.

McIntyre explained: "Back then, there were lots of poor people. Not all this affluence and money flying around. Harry was a poor boy, but that didn't bother him. He turned out a fine man."

Fehrman's dad died early, leaving a pregnant wife, 3-year-old Edna, and 5-year-old Harry. Fehrman delivered milk as a young child to help support his family.

He married Inez McCall in 1924, raised a family here and built a business recognized as a fair-dealing establishment and a landmark 7 miles north of town.

It's said the McCalls have been here practically forever. They opened the first local hospital in a two-story house on Howell Road. The Fehrmans and McCalls built a grocery and service station in 1952 at Routes 98 and 491, a perfect spot, thought Fehrman's father-in-law, B.B. "Badger" McCall.

Fehrman, just back from World War II, was struggling. The couple had a baby son, Harry R.

Sister-in-law Naomi Daniels recalls that Fehrman, on the way home from the service, learned of his first child's birth by accident.

"He saw an article in Jacksonville's paper about babies born in Florida while daddies were off fighting," she said.

His mother-in-law, 99-year-old Gertrude McCall, continued: "Well, there was a picture of young Harry, and that's how big Harry knew."

Having served as an Army mess sergeant, Fehrman got work cooking in St. Petersburg ; he and Inez made seashell dolls to sell, trying to make ends meet.

The McCalls offered to sell the couple 2 acres for $10 if they would build a store and home on the site.

The authentic general store opened with $25 worth of inventory. For 53 years, Fehrman spent time there, even after he sold it.

"My PR man," said Wayne DesChamps, who bought the store in the 1980s.

"I was looking to buy a store and saw his. I knocked on the door and asked him about it. We were friends from then on."

Son Harry R. Fehrman says his dad's building was about the size of a double garage.

Aunts, uncles, and cousins worked there. Customers came to chat, buy emergency items in the middle of the night or interrupt supper for must-haves.

"We learned to eat fast," said Fehrman's son.

Daughter Shirley Fehrman says her dad had time for his children, though he worked at Eli Witt, opened and closed the store, helped on the family farm, worked with the church and served on several local boards and committees. Harry R. Fehrman believes it wasn't about limelight or recognition - instead, his dad saw places he could help people out and he did.

For example, when he served on the County Fair board, he talked officials into making the admission free one year so more people could attend

"If anything was wrong with our lives," Shirley Fehrman said, "it wasn't about our parents. We were lucky."

Gertrude remembers Fehrman as a son, part of her family for 62 years. "He was good to Inez all her life."

Molli Rose, Fehrman's granddaughter, remembers.

"He was remarkable. A booming voice and a John Wayne exterior. Inside - all putty and love."

Lois Booth, Fehrman's sister-in-law remembers, "He was chairman of the deacons.

Once, when the church faced bankruptcy he joined in with the people struggling to save it, and they succeeded. He was always ready to pitch in."

Fehrman is remembered by his community and two families, the Fehrmans and McCalls.

Both are getting ready for the next family milestone, Gertrude McCall's 100th birthday in February.

[Last modified July 14, 2006, 22:08:35]