Richard J. Frey Sr.

Richard James Frey Sr., age 86, of Sand Lake, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 16 with his loving family at his side. Born September 3, 1933, he learned the value of hard work helping with the family fruit orchards and dairy farm. He married Eleanor Patin on April 16, 1955 at St. Mary’s Parish in Sand Lake. They have two sons: Richard and David; and three daughters: Mary, Margaret, and Catherine. Richard served his country in the U.S. Army from 1955-1957, stationed in Fort Benning, GA and Colorado Springs, CO. He was a group leader at Rowe AMI in Grand Rapids, where he worked for 41 years. Richard was a true family man who was always there to love, support, and encourage his large family. He never missed a birthday or family function, and he rarely missed sporting events. His love for sports was undeniable as he cheered on all University of Michigan teams. True to his competitive nature, he played softball until age 80. In recent years he also enjoyed watching his sons’ softball games. He lived in Sand Lake his whole life but made friends everywhere he went. Richard joins his parents Harry and Blanche [Verberg] Frey; mother-in-law and father-in-law Aloysius and Dorothy [Rouse] Patin; sister Jean, brothers Donald (Betty), John, William (Evelyn), George; sister-in-law Vera Frey, brothers-in-law Eugene Smith, Rod Misner, and Clarence Miller. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 64 years, Eleanor; siblings and siblings-in-law Robert, Maynard Smith, Rosemary [Patin] Frey, Mary Ann Misner and special friend John Cornell, Maxine [Frey] Miller, Jim and Sharon Frey, Dorothy Smith, Virginia Patin, Bernadette Thomas and Larry Deane, Mary Anne Patin; children Richard (Jennifer), Mary (Jeffrey Perrin) Frey, Margaret (Mark) Jackson, Catherine (Douglas) Huizinga, and David; grandchildren Michael (Jill), Theresa (Josh), Catherine (Ryan), Paul, Emily, Jennifer (Lester), Jeremy (Grace), Megan (Bryan), Christopher, Abigail, Ryker (Rosie), Rachel, Caleb; great-grandchildren Henry, Vivian, Donovan, Benjamin, Alayna, Catherine, Jana, Benjamin, and Caleb. He had countless very special nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors. He will be missed by all. The family will greet friends Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at the Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs where a Rosary will be prayed at 7:30 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday 11:00 am at Mary Queen of Apostles, Sand Lake. Rev. Fr. Lam Le celebrant. Interment St. Mary’s Cemetery, Sand Lake. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of donor’s choice.