Meet Freddie
A little tooth with a big story
Meet Freddie - our little tooth with a big personality. Freddie was created in honor of Dr. Fred, whose passion for dentistry and care for his patients built the heart of our practice. Freddie reminds us that dentistry is about people, smiles, and joy. Follow along on his adventures!
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Let's Start At The Beginning....
Dr. Freddie became a dentist back in 1962.
On his way to San Francisco to begin his service in the Navy, serving with the Marines, Freddie made a short stop in Las Vegas.
While visiting a Catholic church, he happened to run into someone he knew from Marquette.
She was traveling with three friends on a girls' trip, and the group spent a few minutes catching up on the church steps before heading their seperate ways.
It was a brief meeting.
Nothing remarkable.
Or so Freddie thought.
What he didn't know was that one of the women in that group would someday become his wife.
Sometimes life's biggest moments don't seem important at the time.
To be continued....
The start of his Navy service. One is the real Dr. Fred. The other is helping keep his story - and his memory- alive.
One of Freddie's favorite things about San Francisco wasn't the scenery - it was the friendships. Many evenings were spend exploring the city with fellow officers, sharing good food, good stories, and plenty of laughs.
When he wasn't working, Freddie often found himself drawn to Treasure Island. The views of the bay, the ships, and the San Francisco skyline made it one of his favorite places to spend an afternoon.
Okinawa, Japan
As a young Marine Corps dentist, Freddie arrived ready to serve.
Dentists weren't expected to join field exercises and training events, but Freddie wasn't one to sit on the sidelines. He often volunteered to train alongside the Marines, earning the respect of the men he cared for and becoming part of the unit rather than just the dentist assigned to it.
It was during his time in Okinawa that he earned the nickname "COLD STEEL"
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Every good story deserves to be remembered.
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This is the origonal "Cold Steel" sketch created for Dr. Fred Weber during his assignment with the Marine Corps in Okinawa. Decades later, Freddie is bringing that chapter of his life back to life - one post at a time.
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The story behind the nickname "Cold Steel" is coming soon.
Mount Fuji. Snow. A Marine tent.
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Not exactly where you’d expect to find a dentist.
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But that’s exactly where Freddie wanted to be.
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Instead of staying behind, he joined the Marines during cold-weather training whenever he had the opportunity. Those experiences built friendships, earned respect, and became some of his favorite memories from Okinawa.
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Sometimes the best way to lead is simply to show up.
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While stationed in Okinawa, Freddie decided to take jujitsu lessons.
The calluses he developed on his knuckles would soon come in handy during a little disagreement over bunk assignments with a fellow Marine.
Whenever someone asked how he earned the nickname “Cold Steel,” Freddie always smiled and began with one sentence…
“Well… it all started with the bunk story.
The Beginning of "Cold Steel"
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While aboard ship, Freddie found a bunk he liked - right next to a porthole. He put his bags on it to claim his spot, then went back to get the rest of his gear.
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When he returned, his bags had been moved.
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A very large Marine had decided he wanted that bunk instead.
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Freddie told him he didn't realize there were assigned bunks. The Marine suggested he could quickly settle the dispute.
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Freddie wasn't a big guy, but he had been training in jujitsu, and his calloused knuckles showed it. He made sure the Marine noticed them and calmly said:
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"You may be able to get a punch in, but you won't feel good tomorrow."
The Marine looked at Freddie, looked at those knuckles, and reconsidered.
Freddie got his bunk by the porthole.
It was an early glimpse of the toughness that would eventually earn this mild-mannered dentist from Wisconsin the nickname...
"Cold Steel."
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Baseball games on base were a favorite pastime, and when the team needed a substitute during a tournament, someone asked Freddie if he could play.
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In typical Freddie fashion, he didn't mention that he'd been a star athlete in high school. He simply said he could play a little.
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The colonel was slowly warming up to Freddie, but he still wasn't convinced the young dentist was the right guy to put into a tournament he really wanted to win.
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That hesitation didn't last long.
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Freddie stepped up to the plate, knocked a base hit, and drove in the colonel for a run.
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That was enough to earn Freddie an invitation back for the championship game.
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And it was during that final game that Freddie would do something that solifidiied the nickname "Cold Steel" - and finally win over the colonel for good.
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But that's a story for the next post.