Joey Arterberry
Family of Fred Stoops, I am so very sorry for your loss. By reading this, I see that he left years ago, but it is likely still difficult to live without him. I’m sorry for you all. I was a paralegal for Fred over twenty years ago. We worked together on the Ford/Firestone case. It was hard work, but it taught me a lot about life. Fred helped me to understand it all deeper than the law. He helped me to see the people in the matter and not the case. I was going to church and had just been baptized when I got the job with him. I was not at a happy time in my life. Im not sure that everyone knew that, but God must have told Fred to treat me like I was a genius because he did and I started to feel like I might actually make it in the world. I was a new Christian, but I didn’t know very much about the faith, just that I wanted to be a believer in Jesus. Fred was a big believer. He told me he had read the Bible front to back 7 times and that he was still reading it. He said when ‘I get done, I just start over again’. I read mine front to back too, after I heard him say that. He was deeply devoted to his family and I remember he loved his parents fiercely. He thought his wife was the most beautiful woman and bragged on her all the time. I met my husband when I was working for Fred and moved to Oklahoma City to start a life with him there. Fred gave me many kind words when I left. I took so much of what I learned from Fred with me into life. I have quoted him several times over the years. I even have a plaque in my house of a quote he used to say
‘What would you attempt to do, if you knew you could not fail.’
I can’t tell you how many times the Holy Spirit has lived through that quote for me. I hope Fred knows that he helped me to attempt life. I also hope he and Jesus are having big times together now in heaven. God bless your good
family.
With love,
Joey Arterberry (formerly, Joey Steely)