Obituary of Fred Roper

Fred W. Roper, 85, died on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. He was the son of the late Mrs. Mary Alice Jones and Mr. U. G. Roper. Fred was a nationally recognized scholar and educator in the field of Medical Librarianship. 

Fred earned his Master's of Science in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1962. He completed an internship at UCLA before accepting a position in the Biomedical Library there. He completed his PhD in Library Science at Indiana University in 1971. Fred taught for fifteen years at UNC as Associate Professor and Associate Dean. In 1986, he accepted the position of Dean and Professor in the College of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. As Dean, he introduced the full MLIS program through distance education in South Carolina and to cohorts of students in Georgia, West Virginia and Maine. He integrated computer technology into the curriculum and forged strong ties with the public and academic library communities. 

Fred joined the Medical Library Association in 1962. For the next fifty years he served in many leadership roles, receiving countless awards and citations. He co-authored the seminal textbook on medical library information resources. 

Fred followed UNC Men’s Basketball with a seriousness unparalleled in sports. He loved cats and babies, his sunroom full of plants, and his trips to England. He baked prize winning pound cakes, and he amassed an enviable collection of pottery and royal memorabilia. He was best known for his kindness, his devotion to his friends and family, and his generosity.  

Fred is survived by his spouse, Jon Upson; brother-in-law, Jeff Upson; sister-in-law, Heidi Langston (Jim); nephew, Kai Langston; niece, Kayla Langston, and a host of cousins and friends. 

A Celebration of Life service for Dr. Fred Roper will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Chapel of Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209. A reception and visitation will follow the service in the Thompson Funeral Home (Greenlawn) Community Room. Woodridge Funeral Home of Lexington is assisting his family.  

Fred’s service will be live-streamed for those unable to attend the service. Please follow this link to view his service on or after May 18, 2024. The link will be active until August 18, 2024. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Fred W. Roper Silver Anniversary Scholarship Fund (1B1972). Checks should be made payable to the USC Educational Foundation,1028 Barnwell Street, Columbia, SC 29208. Please include a note indicating the full name and number of the scholarship, or the Mary Alice and George Jones Fund at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (295921), checks should be made payable to the UNC Chapel Hill Foundation, 216 Lenoir Drive CB #3360, 100 Manning Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.