Category: Obituary: F

The Rev. Dr. Edward A. Frost died on April 9, 2022, at the age of 85.

Edward is survived by his daughter, Pamela A. Frost, and her sons, Bart and Nicholas; by his daughter, Tammy F. Frost, her husband, Scott, and their child, Jack; and by his daughter, Jennifer A. Frost, and her sons, Samuel, Alexander, and Timothy.

The celebration of life will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. It will also be streamed.

In honor of the Rev. Dr. Frost’s love for his dogs, you may make a donation to your favorite local organization that cares for dogs. Donations can also be made to the Unitarian Service Pension Society; c/o Rev. Sheldon Bennett; 43 Merrymount Road Unit 11, Quincy, MA 02169. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Pamela A. Frost, 388 Harrier Dr. Monroe Township, NJ 08831.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.

The Rev. Cynthia A. Frado died on March 28, 2021, at the age of 67.

Cynthia was the cherished wife of James Walker of Hadley, MA. She is survived by her daughter Eve Chetwynd and her partner Jason Hendricks of Orange, CT; son Alexander Chetwynd and his partner Jennifer Bisceglia of Worcester; sister Kathleen (Frado) Sousa and her husband William of Seekonk; sister-in-law Chris (Hall) Frado of Winchester, NH; stepson Jonathan Walker and his wife Catherine of Lebanon, CT; stepdaughter Carolyn Taylor and her husband Matthew of Amherst; adopted daughter Stephanie Jordao; eight loving grandchildren; Arielle, Hayden, Christian, Jack, Ella, Piper, Elin, and August; and several nieces and nephews. Cindy was predeceased by her sister Madeline Jeffries and brother John Frado.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cancer Center at Boston’s Children’s Hospital in memory of Rev. Cynthia Frado. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Her funeral service will be held virtually Friday, April 9, at 5:00 p.m. Contact the Funeral Home listed below for link to service.

Notes of condolences may be sent to the family of the Rev. Cynthia Frado care of the Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.

Gaynell Bradley Freeman, a native of Charlotte, died September 30, 2019. She was born October 24, 1922 to Cleo Hutchins Bradley and Mack Charles Bradley Sr. Mrs. Freeman attended Huntersville High School and attended Kings Business College.

She opened Gaynell’s Beauty Salon in 1956 and operated the business for over a decade. In 1967, she married the Rev. Dr. Sidney L. Freeman and together they would enjoy 45 years of marriage until his death in 2012.

Gaynell enjoyed travelling extensively with her husband as well as time at Lake Norman and playing bridge with friends. Above all else, she enjoyed time with her family and will be missed by all those whose lives she touched.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Freeman was preceded in death by her son, Steven Bradley Williams. She is survived by her son, T. Michael Williams and his wife, Mary Shelby Wirt; grandson, Steven Williams Saxon and his wife, Nhora Gomez Saxon; and great-grandchild, Gabriella Gomez Saxon.

The Reverend Carol Fincher—who came to parish ministry in mid-life and served mostly in her native Oklahoma—died peacefully on 22 December 2018, aged 86, after a brief illness.

Carol Fincher was born on 25 December 1932 in Fairfax, Oklahoma, to Dorothy Ellen (Prall) and Ed Armel Fincher, and was raised in the Disciples of Christ (Christian) church. She dropped out of college after her first year to devote herself to marriage and motherhood.

Some years later, as the family was living in Clinton NY, Carol discovered the UU church in nearby Utica. She became an active layperson there and later in Hamden CT, where her interest in ministry gradually matured. Carol liked to say that she felt “beckoned” rather than called to her ministerial career.

By the late 1970s, with her two children grown, Carol resumed college, earning a B.A. at Southern Connecticut State Univ. in 1980. In 1986 she earned her M.Div. at Starr King School.

Ms. Fincher was ordained on 27 April 1986 by her “home” congregation, the UU Church of Utica NY and over the next 12 years she pursued a mix of settled and interim ministries in Charlotte NC, Amarillo TX, Stillwater OK, Newark DE, Syracuse NY and finally a small church in Tulsa OK.

In partial retirement the Rev’d Ms. Fincher returned to the UU Church of Stillwater OK in a part-time position of “pastoral care minister.” After full retirement, that congregation named her minister emerita.

Carol enjoyed traveling, going to Mexico and the Caribbean, but also made a trip to Singapore, led by her interest in Kuan-Yin Buddhism. In her spare time, she enjoyed jewelry making, paper making, photography, music, and ballet.

At her death, Carol was survived by a sister Dorothy, children Dennis and Ellen DeGraad, and three grandchildren. A celebration of Carol’s life took place on 12 January 2019 at the UU Church of Stillwater.

The Rev. Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Foster died on March 3, 2018 at the age of 74.

Betty is survived by her children John Foster (Linda Jones), Heather Owens (Eddie), and Robert Foster; her grandchildren Padraic, Aidan, and Emma Owens; her sisters Jeanne Mancinelli and Virginia Calyer; and her many nieces, nephews, and countless friends. She was predeceased by her husband Robert W. Forster and her brother James G. Calyer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gorham House Activity Fund, 50 New Portland Rd, Gorham, ME 04038.

A memorial service was planned for Monday, March 19, 2018 at the Gorham House, 50 New Portland Rd, Gorham, ME 04038.

Notes of condolence may be shared online at: http://www.dolbyblaissegee.com/obituaries/Elizabeth-Foster-5/

The Rev. Dr. Sidney L. Freeman, 85, died January 12, 2012. He held a BS from the University of Wisconsin, an MA from Bowling Green University, and a PhD from Cornell. He served the UU Church of Charlotte, NC, for 32 years, where he was named minister emeritus. He was a lay minister at the First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, VA and served as a chaplain at Cedar Spring Hospital in Pineville, NC. He was an instructor of communication arts at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC; and associate professor of speech and drama at Sweet Briar College in VA. He was an advocate for mental health, serving as president of Charlotte’s Mental Health Association. He is survived by his wife, Gaynell B. Freeman; his children, Lynn Freeman Love, David Freeman, Michael Freeman, and T. Michael Williams; twelve grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Ruth Melchior Fleck, 89, widow of the Rev. G. Peter Fleck, died peacefully at Cape Cod Hospital, South Orleans, MA on May 1, 2008, surrounded by her three daughters. She grew up in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States with her beloved husband in 1941. He predeceased her. Her kindness and generosity touched many lives. In retirement she became an accomplished photographer. She had a talent for recognizing and appreciating what was special in each individual. Throughout her life, she maintained a wide correspondence, sending note cards made with her own photographs to commemorate birthdays, anniversaries, or just the warmth of her good wishes.

The Rev. F. David Fisher, 81, died June 26, 2010. After earning his AB in philosophy at Oberlin he served in the US Army. He received his MD from University of Rochester (NY). He practiced internal medicine and then earned masters in public health and divinity. He completed a psychiatry residency at Wright State School of Medicine (Dayton, OH). He taught at University of Utah and Yale University School of Medicine. He was ward psychiatrist at Northern NH Mental Health Services. He later served as part-time minister with the UU Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes (Conway, NH). A lifelong UU, he was active in many congregations as fellowship co-founder, layman, minister and choir director. He was Florida District’s volunteer coordinator for GA in 2008 in Ft. Lauderdale. He volunteered to promote equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. He enjoyed community theater as an actor, singer and dancer. He is survived by his life partner, Paul Alpert, his daughter, Dana Ashrawi and his son-in-law; his son, Kent Fisher, five grandchildren and two sisters.

 

Elinor F. Potter Fewkes, 79, wife of the Rev. Richard M. Fewkes died August 29, 2009 at home in hospice care after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was a graduate of Thayer Academy and Radcliffe College. She met and married Dick Fewkes when she was working for the UUA in their regional office in Brockton, MA. Ellie will be fondly remembered for her dedicated work as a loving teacher in both the Nursery School and Sunday School at the First Parish Church in Norwell, MA. She was an active member of the Women’s Alliance and for many years hosted the Sewing and Handcraft Group for the Annual Harvest Fair. When Dick and Ellie left Norwell in 2000 she was presented with a quilt dedicated to the “First Lady of First Parish 1969-2000.” That quilt comforted her for the rest of her life. She is survived by her husband, her sister and brother-in-law, two sons, a daughter, their spouses and eight grandchildren.

The Rev. Leon C. Fay, 89, died ca. 2002. He earned his AB and STB degrees at Tufts. He served churches in East Bridgewater and West Bridgewater, MA; Scituate, MA; Nashua, NH; Albuquerque, NM; and Cape Town, South Africa. He also served as director of the Department of Ministry at the UUA.