Dr. Robert (Bob) Morcom Fearn

Bob Fearn, 97, passed peacefully at his daughter Tilla’s home in Raleigh NC on 2/25/26. A professor emeritus in Economics at NC State University, Bob never met a stranger. As a lifelong academic and internationalist, he was equally at home chatting with a Pennsylvania steel worker, a Kazakh herdsman, or a leader of the Greek Civil War.

Bob always had a twinkle in his eye and a story to tell. But not just any story; a story designed to share something he had learned, something about how people lived their lives. Most often the stories were cultural – what mattered to people, how did they make their way in the world? And not just stories of far-flung cultures, but also those closer to home - like what happens when a Northern boy (himself) encounters grits and NC barbecue for the first time. His children (and wife Priscilla) often found themselves waiting (perhaps in a sweltering VW microbus) while he engaged in a lively conversation with a gas station attendant in Oklahoma, a camp host in Belgium, or the checkout person at the local Food Lion.

Bob was deeply interested in people’s lived experience and how our culture and our policies might help them live better lives. He believed that people were the same the world over and that all were deserving of respect, consideration, growth, and engagement. This led him to a career that included teaching and researching in the United States, Jordan, Peru, Ghana, Greece, and China, and sometimes a foreign county called Duke. He was also involved in bringing many international students both to NC State and other institutions around the country. His love of travel took him to all 50 states, and 44 countries. None of his children were surprised when he declared at age 84 that he was headed to Antarctica, “It is my last continent.”

Dr. Fearn was born (10/10/28) in Patterson, New Jersey, the son of a plumber and World War I vet (William Fearn) and a Public Health nurse (Violet Emily Bray Fearn). An eager learner from the start - as a youth, he could often be found sequestered in the family bathroom - reading. Slightly too young to serve during World War 2, he volunteered at age 17 and served in the occupational army in Germany assisting in the reconstruction period. He was stationed near Dachau concentration camp which clearly left an impression about what he saw as “the logical consequences of religious intolerance and ethnic or racial hatred”. Bob returned to the United States to begin his academic career at Boston University (BU) on the GI Bill. There he met his wife, Priscilla. Priscilla was the extremely clever and perceptive daughter of a large old New England family who would find herself sharing in Bob’s adventures while also keeping his exuberance in balance. She passed in 2013. They were married for nearly 62 years.

Bob’s education included an AA from BU, a BSc from Ohio University, a MA from Washington State, studies at American University in D.C., and a PhD in Labor Economics from The University of Chicago. His work career began at a young age as a plumber’s assistant and included such diverse jobs as dishwasher, lifeguard, surveyor’s assistant, hardware store clerk, college professor, and CIA analyst and expert on the Soviet Industrial base. A commendation for some secret project he was involved in – and that he never saw due to classification – is in his file at the CIA. At NCSU, he was elected Chair of the Faculty Senate and served in numerous roles including Member of the Athletics Council and Director of the Graduate Program in Economics.

After his academic retirement, Bob consulted and traveled extensively. Due to his time at CIA, he never thought he would see the Soviet Bloc countries about which he knew a great deal, but the collapse of the Soviet Union lead to many enriching opportunities. In addition to innumerable Journal Publications, and serving as an editor for a prestigious journal, Bob published, Labor Economics – the Emerging Synthesis – a college textbook, and tellingly – two self-published books of tales, “It’s Academic” and “It’s Not Academic”, written for his grandchildren.

Bob’s interest in politics started at a young age. As a student at BU he was involved with The Students for Democratic Action. Often viewed as a “radical” organization at the time, (and perhaps today) it was “dedicated to the achievement of economic security and freedom for all people everywhere.” But it was his partnership with his wife, Pris, that generated their most effective political activity. In the early1970s they, together with others, founded the West Raleigh Civic Association, a group that banded together with leaders of disparate under-represented communities to restructure Raleigh City Council. This resulted in the district system, which wrested control of the city from old Raleigh interests and created a more representative government. They also worked on distributing low-income housing throughout the city’s neighborhoods and working to have those locations as a part of the neighborhood, not as isolated pockets. Bob was involved in Democratic politics and advised elected officials and policy makers on economic policy.

A lover of dancing, music and theater, he could often be heard whistling, singing, or humming, much to Pris’ dismay – as she liked the quiet. Bob was also physically active – a swimmer in the US Army and later as a Masters Swimmer who was state champion in breaststroke and top 10 in six events at Nationals. He loved camping, both with his family and the Boy Scouts, especially in the mountains and backpacked nearly all of the NC/Tenn. Appalachian Trail, and well as the Shenandoahs. Bob and Priscilla built a log cabin on Lake James in Morganton NC. The cabin - a fulfillment of a promise/joke he made to Pris about building their own cabin when they found themselves in housing uncertainty in the heavily forested Pacific Northwest during early years of their marriage.

Bob is survived by his children, Diane Fearn-Desrosiers (Mark), Debbie Sears (Paul), Tilla Fearn, Robbie Fearn (Pamela), 5 grandchildren - Jenny, Renee, Thomas, Matthew, and Jessica, and 3 great grandchildren - Daniel, Logan, and Alexander. Also, Sister-in-law Ellen Gelpke, former son-in-law Richard Graham, and many beloved nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by two sisters Harriet Fearn and Barbara Skeens.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on May 23, 2026 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to a charity of your choice as Bob was an avid supporter of many causes, including American Civil Liberties Union, Scouting America, National Park Foundation and his many alumni organizations.

Bob’s engagement for the betterment of others’ lives, his wisdom, his intelligence, his sense of humor, and certainly his stories, are all deeply missed by his colleagues, his friends, and his family.