BURGAW — Donald Fred Tornow Jr., known to all as Fred, passed away peacefully at home in Burgaw, NC, on December 25, 2024 at the age of 72. Born in Fayetteville, NC in 1952 to Donald Fred Tornow and Jean Currie Barnes Tornow, Fred lived a rich and multifaceted life filled with creativity, dedication, and love.
Fred was an artist and craftsman with an incredible range of talents. He engaged deeply with the world around him, capturing his unique perspective through photography, drawing, and painting. He also created fine leather goods and wood crafts, including his signature wood and slate turkey calls. In later years, he built his own forge and taught himself the art of knife-making, a testament to his boundless curiosity and skill.
In 1971, Fred enlisted in the North Carolina Army National Guard and was honorably discharged in 1977 with the rank of Sergeant. Fred attended Methodist University, then transferred and graduated from North Carolina State University in 1974. In 1975, he married his high school sweetheart, Cheryl Matthews Tornow, beginning a lifelong partnership grounded in love and mutual respect. Together, they built a family and a life that took them from farming in Fayetteville, NC, to Charlotte, NC where Fred began a 40-year career in industrial maintenance. He first worked at Dixie Reel and Box Company in Charlotte, and later at Wilmington Box/Hood Container in Burgaw, NC.
Fred’s deep connection to nature defined much of his life. A great lover of the outdoors, he spent years hunting deer and turkey before turning to nature photography and honing his turkey-calling skills. Upon moving to Burgaw, Fred embraced life on the water, exploring the Black River and Northeast Cape Fear River by boat.
Fred’s compassion and generosity extended beyond his family. He was deeply involved in his community, serving as both President and Treasurer of the Burgaw Lions Club, a local chapter of Lions Club International. His philosophical nature and innate kindness made him a beloved mentor and teacher to his family and those who worked or served with him, continuing the legacy of the educators in his family.
Fred is survived by his wife, Cheryl Matthews Tornow; his children, Justin Tornow and Matthew Tornow; his daughter-in-law, Kelly Quick Tornow; and his cherished grandchildren, Anson and August. He is also survived by his two beloved sisters, Jeanie Tornow Hunnicutt and Elizabeth (Lee) Tornow Moore with husband Steve Moore; sister in-law and brother-in-law Sharyn Matthews Jackson and Michael Jackson; brother-in-law Payton Matthews; and his much-loved nieces and nephews who shared in Fred’s life and memories. Fred joins those in peace who passed before him, his parents Don and Jean; father-in-law and mother-in-law Anson Mack and Merle Page Matthews; sister-in-law Carmen Matthews; and brother-in-law James Hunnicutt.
A graveside memorial service will be held in his honor at 1pm on February 9, 2025 at Maxwell Cemetery in Autryville, NC. Fred’s family invites those who knew him to join in celebrating his life and reflecting on the many ways he touched the lives of others.
Shared memories and condolences may be sent to the family here.
