The devilkin printer.

• Author: Grassfield, Max P.
• Position: Frederic McGregor Pannebaker

Frederic McGregor Pannebaker was a printer by trade. Throughout his career he set the standard. Mention his name to his competitors, and their eyes immediately come to life. As a lithographer he won many awards for his printing excellence. So many, in fact, that in later years he ran out of wall space to hang them all.

Freddie died Jan. 12, 1998, leaving the Denver business community bereft of one of its most irrascible and colorful members.

Of course, the best graphic designers sought out Freddie to print their work, recognizing his gift. Sometime during the late 1950s, Kimberly-Clark sponsored a national juried letterhead contest for printers. Freddie submitted three entries, and won first, second and third prizes. He couldn't help but giggle while claiming it was the last juried show Kimberly-Clark ever sponsored.

At 5 feet, 5 inches, Fred Pannebaker was slight, welt-groomed, articulate and self-assured. He made friends easily. Meeting him, one couldn't help but detect a devilish whimsy in his bright blue eyes - eyes that smiled as he spoke. And the longer you knew him, the more this impish side of his persona surfaced. It was his way of coping with a world that wasn't as perfect as he thought it should be.

Every task Freddie undertook reflected his distinctive style. His workplace was, for a print shop, uncharacteristically neat and tidy. He owned a small, east-facing, 1,000-square-foot building within easy walking distance of downtown Denver. When the city replaced the sidewalk fronting his shop, he gave the contractor a can of lampblack to mix into the concrete. The purpose, according to Freddie, was to tint the concrete a dark charcoal gray which would absorb the warmth of the morning sun and melt the snow before he had much (if any) shoveling to do. Did it work? For all but the most inundating storms, like a charm.

I first became Freddie's client in 1962, and for 25 years he printed all our work. Until his death in 1998, we remained close. For many Denverites, Fred Pannebaker was the quintessential "Most Unforgettable Character." His circle of friends and acquaintances included many community leaders - journalists, publishers, businessmen and professionals. Everyone seemed to know Freddie, and everyone seems to have a memorable story about him.

Freddie was certainly a legend. It didn't take long in his company to discover the things that aggravated his acute sense of order - affixing a label or stamp askew, not parking between the...