Has anyone heard from Charles Fares lately? He's a friend of mine and Cadillac contributor on the forum here. I haven't been able to get ahold of him, his phone line seems disconnected and he hasn't been active on the forum since the 13 of November which isn't usual of him. I'm concerned and just hope he's ok, if anyone has recently spoken to him please let me know.
Thank you.
Anyone in the San Diego area? If so, maybe you should check on him.
He may be just on vacation on a cruise ship away from any computers. Disconnected, if you will.
Internet on a ship is about $5-10 per minute.
I just sent him an email, he's really good about getting right back to me.
Stay tuned....
Quote from: Cape Cod Fleetwood on November 28, 2021, 11:42:52 AM
I just sent him an email, he's really good about getting right back to me.
Stay tuned....
Sounds good Laurie. Thanks.
Quote from: Big Fins on November 28, 2021, 04:31:48 AM
Anyone in the San Diego area? If so, maybe you should check on him.
He may be just on vacation on a cruise ship away from any computers. Disconnected, if you will.
Internet on a ship is about $5-10 per minute.
I doubt it, he rarely if ever has time off of work like that. I could drive to his house as he lives in the same city as me, but that will be a last resort.
Sub'd. Charles is good people. He's helped me out of a jam a couple of times. I hope he's OK.
I have sent him a PM on the forum, and an email in the last 10 days or so with no reply. Unlike him.....
I hope Charles is OK.
I have 2 phone numbers for him and neither will go through.
I'll try an email.
Quote from: 64\/54Cadillacking on November 28, 2021, 04:31:54 PM
Sounds good Laurie. Thanks.
I doubt it, he rarely if ever has time off of work like that. I could drive to his house as he lives in the same city as me, but that will be a last resort.
Why not do it??? I would if I lived close.
Bob
Words cannot explain how devastated I am feeling right now. 😞😢 Charles has past away. He past over 2 weeks ago. I believe he was 65 going to be 66 next month as his birthday is close to mine in December.
I drove to his house and spoke to a neighbor. She told me he died of a heart attack sitting in his chair at home.
Charles was such a kind and sweet man, he always took the time to speak with me not just about Cadillacs, but about life and I loved his story telling. I am a lot younger than him, but I looked up to him as a mentor and someone that spoke with such clarity as he was also very wise. I will miss him dearly and unfortunately I don't have any pictures of him and I, he lived by himself with no wife or children. This hurts me the most knowing that he died all alone. He was a great friend and he loved Cadillacs!
It's how we met, this hobby of ours brought us together and I learned so much from him over the years. To the forum members that knew him as a friend, I am sure you also gained a lot of Cadillac knowledge from Charles and he has even helped you with parts for your cars. I'm just shocked and heartbroken, especially during this time of year.
Charles Fares was a special person and there will never be anyone else like him, the Cadillac community has lost a great one.
:'( :'( :'(
I feel like I have lost a family member. So sad. Charles was a great man and one of the pillars in our Cadillac community. I will miss him. Clay/Lexi
This is not supposed to happen. Way young and a tremendous resource of knowledge has been lost.
:(
I'm very upset to hear this. I have had many great conversations with Charles and have purchased many parts from him that were always of great quality.
That's really a shame that we lost him.
Thanks for passing along this info. I had dealing with him over the years.
I just went over and read the emails and listened to a voicemail I had saved from a couple of years ago.
Sad to hear this.
He was an asset to this forum and a good humored fellow.
I will miss him.
Jeez.
I didn't know him but thank you C. Asaro for sharing your experience with him. He sounds like someone we would have all enjoyed and benefited from knowing. When I saw your post I tried to internet search. I never posted because I couldn't find anything helpful.
Sad and too soon.
Scott
He will be missed dearly. His death just makes you realize how any of us can go in an instant with no signs at all, and how quickly your belongings don't mean anything to certain people, family included.
He owned that nice 89 Fleetwood and he also had a 70 Fleetwood that he showed me pictures of. He also had a beautiful 72 Lincoln Continental that was canary yellow with a brownish interior that was immaculate. I know he had tons of spare Cadillac and Lincoln parts in his garage as he was a fan of Lincoln Continentals as well.
His knowledge of both brands was incredible. He knew almost every Cadillac and Lincoln paint code by heart, engine serial numbers, vin numbers, original part supplier for Cadillac, what parts would fit what years of cars and differences between them and a host of other info in his head. He had great memory of things and knew so much about the Cadillac brand and history itself.
I know he's in a better place now and isn't suffering from the severe stress of his job and other physical ailments he might of had. He seemed fine the last time we spoke, and didn't complain of any illnesses. The sudden loss of a close friend or loved one is the worst kind of pain to go through. You physically feel sick.
This is a moment of reflection and a time to hug and appreciate your loved ones as you never know if it's going to be the last time you see them. Life is precious we only have one chance at it, take care of your health and try to destress as much as possible, keep good company around and care for others that need the attention.
Charles if you're reading this from above someway somehow, I love ya buddy. We'll someday meet again, but for now, may you Rest In Peace. 🙏🙏🙏⛪️
Sorry to hear that. He was a good supplier; I'll miss him.
I always had very positive interactions with Mr. Fares and found him friendly, fair and very knowledgeble. This is a huge loss for the Cadillac Community. Just very sad.
Charles was an absolute pleasure to deal with and was always exceptionally cordial in all communications I had with him. The knowledge and contributions he brought to the CLC Forum were second to none. A great loss to the CLC community and his presence here will be sorely missed.
Rest in Peace Charles.
This is such sad news. As others have said above, this is akin to losing a close family member. I had a few phone calls with Charles and bought an item from him, after I acquired my "70 Deville a couple of years ago. He had teed up a couple items that I might be interested in buying at some point in the future. His knowledge and passion about these cars was vast and so detailed. The passion was infectious, as after talking to him you wanted to go out and start an improvement/restoration project right away.
Like an ole friend that you think will always be around.
RIP Charles
Oh no... Oh my God no...
He helped me so much... He always spoke so lovingly of "Great White" and "The Ark"...
He sold me such wonderful parts so reasonably, and gave me more... He knew so much about these cars,
he was always willing to help.
This can't be happening...
RIP. Never got to meet him in person. I wish I had.
I appreciate all the warm comments, Charles definitely touched a lot of you here and treated each of you like a close pal although you might have never met in person. He would tell me he spoke over the phone with many of you here. He loved to talk for hours, even if he was tired from work, he would still make the time to answer questions and give advice.
I found a couple of pictures that I took of his 72 Lincoln Continental earlier this year, I know it's not a Cadillac but it's the only pictures I have of him. In one of the pictures you can sort of see him in the drivers seat.
I bought an Eldorado rear window defogger system from him a couple of years ago.
I joked about just installing the switch and the grill and that would be enough to do the 'install'....
He then told a story about how he had a friend that did that with a rare heated seat option on a cadillac. He told the guy he was impressed that he installed the system including the seats and that it looked great.
That's when the guy told him he just installed the switch!
This is just so sad.
Charles was always very giving with his time and he had the best parts and his knowledge was amazing. I hope his collection of parts goes to someone that knows what they have because his stuff was always great.
Rest In Peace Charles.
He was always a pleasure to deal with , just goes to show all the blood sweat and tears we put into these cars at the end of the road they really wont matter . Rip Charles
Quote from: rwchatham CLC 21892 on November 29, 2021, 01:52:22 PMat the end of the road they really wont matter . Rip Charles
How true. The entire human species is just a blip. Take a deep look at the night sky . . . and say hello to Charles and other dear friends and relatives that have moved on.
When I read this early this morning, I just clicked the red X. I didn't want to read any more. I couldn't. The many hours that we talked. The thousands in parts that I bought from him. All first rate items. He even sent me a few things because he was so excited that I bought the '69 Fleetwood.
I never met the man, the legend, that is Charles. May you rest in peace, Sir. You suffered no pain, (that you spoke of) the only way to go.
Wow, this is very upsetting.
I would occasionally call Charles if I needed a part or just to talk cars. This is so sad, a real asset to everyone on the forum and the CLC.
He was very knowledgeable about many cars not just Cadillac. Also very willing to give you his time to talk.
I, too, was hoping that Charles was just away on a vacation. I have bought parts off of him a few times, but never spoke in person. He was extremely knowledgeable, and wrote excellent, detailed and lengthy emails. He would have made a great author. Condolences from all of us to his family members.
The Cadillac community has lost a great asset. My dealings with him always left me feeling like I was treated as one of the family. Very sorry to hear this news.
Geoff N.
Condolences to all his friends and his family on the sudden loss.
I got a cold chill when I saw the first enquiry. I guess we think the worst as we age?
I get a wake up call every time people younger than I pass away. My sister(older) was talking to her friend at 9 in the AM one day this summer and by 11 another friend called and said she went to see her and found her dead sitting on a bench in her own yard. So it happens more often than we think. One does not know the hour or the day.
All I can add is, learn the lesson, get your affairs in order, no matter what your age, you don't want to leave a mess like the recent auction on your relatives. Good idea to put catalog or stickers on and write the value on parts, etc. so they have some idea for sale.
Quote from: fishnjim on November 29, 2021, 08:22:24 PM
All I can add is, learn the lesson, get your affairs in order, no matter what your age, you don't want to leave a mess like the recent auction on your relatives.
Good idea to put catalog or stickers on and write the value on parts, etc. so they have some idea for sale.
For parts & other items, leave a description of what it is and/or what it fits too.
Quote from: Carfreak on November 29, 2021, 09:43:35 PM
For parts & other items, leave a description of what it is and/or what it fits too.
The point Carfreak made is even more important based on what I've learned here about Charles, but not due to monetary value. Someone who cared as much as Charles obviously did was probably thinking more about making certain parts would get to the people who needed them and if he was leaving others, family, with a mess to sort out more than he was thinking about himself or the value.
We never know and all of us would hate to leave the people who care the most, and always step-up, to have to sort through everything. I'm certainly guilty of thinking there's plenty of time and I certainly could be a lot more organized to make the job easier when it eventually happens.
Scott
Hello ,
I am so sorry to hear the news about Charles . The last time we talked on the phone was late October . The day i posted pictures of my 70 Coupe Deville he noticed that the map light had a broken louver . He wrote me the same day and introduced himself to me and told me he was putting a perfect map light louver in the mail as a welcome gift from a fellow 1970 cadillac owner . Every time we talked on the phone about a topic regarding a particular part or a assembly or disassembly he would detail down to the color of the wire or shape of the clip or length of the screw or fastener . I was always fascinated by his vocabulary and the way he painted a picture just with his way with words .I also purchased parts from Charles and the parts were always labeled and pack perfectly . Although I never met Charles in person he always made me felt like we were friends for many years .Many times he would write to me or call me when i would post on the forum . He would tell me of his many visits to the junk yard over the years knowing that the 69 and 70 Cadillac parts would be worth a lot of money some day and was was right . Charles was a real Gentleman and i will miss him very much . What a voice and a way with words he had .
R I P Charles ,
Bill Balkie