On July 23 NAMM‘s Dan Del Fiorentino shared the following sad news:
Our dear Phyllis Fender passed away yesterday in her home in Fullerton, California, not far from the factory where her late husband made his famous electric guitars.
After reading several publications on his life’s work, it was a refreshing treat to hear about the man behind the workbench when Mrs. Fender sat down for her NAMM Oral History interview in 2003. She recalled Leo’s passion for his work and how he would wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. She spoke of their marriage, his love of ice cream and the illness that took him from her in 1991. Phyllis was the proud keeper of his flame, providing presentations about him whenever she was asked and standing for hours at the NAMM show answering questions from those who admired her husband’s contributions to music.
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)