Obituary for Walter Frey
Walter P. Frey of Hingham and Oak Bluffs died peacefully on Good Friday, April 15, 2022 in hospice care at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 86 years old. Born in Brooklyn, New York to Opa and Oma, he spent much of his childhood helping out in the family delicatessen, where he discovered a love of potato salad and chocolate pudding. Walter attended Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn and went on to graduate from MIT in 1956 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, where he also played lacrosse. His career took him to Grumman Aerospace, Pan American World Airways and Mobil Oil. While at Pan Am, Walter was The Project Engineer from conception through first flight of the monumental 747 aircraft. His career at Mobil took him all over the world providing technical service to national and private airlines. While traveling for Mobil, Walter attended religious services on Sundays, regardless of the language, and he never met a local beer he did not like, always asserting, “Beer is safer than water”.
In 1956, following his graduation from MIT, Walter married Beryl Schelhorn, a graduate of Lasell Women’s College. Together they raised three children, Tabetha (Lee McCartney)Karl (Patty Cullen) and Tammy in Garden City, New York. The family of five took frequent trips to their summer cottage at the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association in Oak Bluffs, MA. The summer cottage became the host to many croquet matches and cribbage games, and welcomed friends and family during fifty years that Walter summered there. Following his retirement from Mobil, Walter took a “summer job” working for the Steamship Authority, where he was always recognizable in his bright red shirt and enormous 6’6” stature. His grandchildren loved spending the summer months at the cottage, jumping off his shoulders in the water and listening to him sing “Sing Your Way Home,” at the weekly Community Sings, always entirely out of key.
Walter’s daughter Tammy passed away in 2004 and was unfortunately soon followed by Walter’s wife, Beryl, passing in 2010 after battling Alzheimer’s Disease. Beryl’s final years were fortunate to bring Elisabeth Pust (Bette) back into Walter and Beryl’s lives; Bette as Beryl’s childhood best friend. Walter found companionship and comfort in Bette, until her passing in 2017.
Walter loved his family, and adored his grandchildren; Kyla McCartney (Elizabeth Wiesner), Kaitlyn Tradd (Benjamin Tradd), Xavier Frey, Aigneis Frey, Augustine Frey, and his great- grandchildren; Natalie Tradd and Wren McCartney Wiesner.
A celebration of Walter‘s life will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10 AM at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Wellesley, MA.
In 1956, following his graduation from MIT, Walter married Beryl Schelhorn, a graduate of Lasell Women’s College. Together they raised three children, Tabetha (Lee McCartney)Karl (Patty Cullen) and Tammy in Garden City, New York. The family of five took frequent trips to their summer cottage at the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association in Oak Bluffs, MA. The summer cottage became the host to many croquet matches and cribbage games, and welcomed friends and family during fifty years that Walter summered there. Following his retirement from Mobil, Walter took a “summer job” working for the Steamship Authority, where he was always recognizable in his bright red shirt and enormous 6’6” stature. His grandchildren loved spending the summer months at the cottage, jumping off his shoulders in the water and listening to him sing “Sing Your Way Home,” at the weekly Community Sings, always entirely out of key.
Walter’s daughter Tammy passed away in 2004 and was unfortunately soon followed by Walter’s wife, Beryl, passing in 2010 after battling Alzheimer’s Disease. Beryl’s final years were fortunate to bring Elisabeth Pust (Bette) back into Walter and Beryl’s lives; Bette as Beryl’s childhood best friend. Walter found companionship and comfort in Bette, until her passing in 2017.
Walter loved his family, and adored his grandchildren; Kyla McCartney (Elizabeth Wiesner), Kaitlyn Tradd (Benjamin Tradd), Xavier Frey, Aigneis Frey, Augustine Frey, and his great- grandchildren; Natalie Tradd and Wren McCartney Wiesner.
A celebration of Walter‘s life will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10 AM at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Wellesley, MA.