Frederick Elwyn Gamage

Frederick (Freddie) Elwyn Gamage, 84 of Cartersville, Virginia lost his battle to Cancer and passed away peacefully on Monday, November 20th, 2023.   

 

Freddie was born at Newstead Farm which is alongside the James River in Cartersville, VA on October 13, 1939. While Freddie grew up at Newstead (a working dairy farm) with his family, he attended Cumberland County schools and then enlisted in the US Navy. Upon his return he married Mary Flynn in Goochland county and had three children.  

 

 After having learned the painting trade in the Navy and working for a local home painting company in Cartersville, he later started his own company called Custom Interiors and Painting in which he maintained for about 25 years. Freddie further served as a Lay Reader at St. James Episcopal Church and as a Counselor at Willow Oaks Farm which supported persons with alcohol and drug addictions.  

 

 Freddie was a person with multiple interests and hobbies. He had a love for music enjoying the music of many diverse artists and with an amazing voice of his own sang at various venue’s. He also had much affection for the history of the American Indian Culture as well as the history of early farms and older buildings in Virginia. Intrigued with historical events he conducted his own research, reading many history-based books and was fond of visiting historical homes, battlefields, etc. He also enjoyed journaling and writing short stories.    

 

 Having an interest in art and inspired by color, Freddie began painting as a hobby of sorts. In the beginning his chosen media was oil paint.  He then dabbled in watercolor, but his media of choice became working with soft pastels in which he felt the colors were richer and allowed him to be more expressive in his passionate works. In 1993 he decided to continue his paintings and opened a small studio gallery and framing shop called Custom Interiors and Framing in the village at the Cumberland County Courthouse. Inspirations for his paintings came from colors of the changing seasons and living in the rural setting of Cartersville, surrounding counties, and Howards Neck Farm in Goochland. His paintings consisted mostly of landscapes and included rolling hills, trees, corn fields, soybean fields, hay bales, flowers, barns, cattle, horses, sheep, and the tree line of the mighty James River.   

 

Freddie was a member of the Central Virginia Arts, Buckingham County Art Council, Fluvanna Art Association, Juried member of Crossroad Art Center in Richmond, VA and lifetime member of The Archeological Society of Virginia.  With a kind and gentle heart, Freddie cared deeply for others and loved his children dearly as well as additional family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all.   

 

Freddie was preceded in death by his Parents, Ruth Lennie Gamage and Elwyn Harvey Gamage. He is survived by his two Sons, Michael E. Gamage, Jason H. Gamage (Michelle Gamage) and Daughter Rachel G. Hubley (Erik Hubley) and Grand Children Ellen Gamage, Adora Gamage, Mason Hubley and Carter Hubley, Brother, Lennie Gamage (Eija Gamage), Sisters Barbara Gamage and Patsy Goodwyn (Pal Goodwyn), multiple nieces and nephews.