William Freet

William Henry Freet, Sr., age 92, of Chambersburg, died on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 in the Chambersburg Hospital. Born on July 8, 1919 in Harrisburg, he was a son of the late Maria Schraedley Yingst Fralich and William Harry Freet. He was the widower of Betty Fennell Freet, the love of his life, whom he married on November 7, 1941. She preceded him in death on November 30, 2003, after 62 years of marriage.

Surviving are his four children, Linda F. Zimmerman, Carole F. Amsley (and husband, Larry), all of Chambersburg, William H. “Skip” Freet (and wife, Cheryl) of Valencia, CA, and Lauren F. Young (and husband, Shaun), also of Chambersburg; 12 grandchildren, Benjamin Graybar, Elizabeth Graybar Maust, Andrea Amsley Lahr, John Amsley, William Amsley, Beth Amsley Lahr, Catherine Freet Patti, Carrie Freet Degenfelder, Kevin Freet, Lindsey Young Kearns, Ryan Young, and Tyler Young; 26 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a twin brother, John Fralich Freet in November of 1988.

Bill was a graduate of the Masonic Home and School in Elizabethtown and the the Patton Trade School, class of 1937. He then earned his BS in Education from Penn State University and his Masters in Counseling from the former Shippensburg State College. A US Navy veteran of World War II, he served from 1944-46. Bill worked years ago at the Chambersburg Engineering Company and Fairchild Industries, as a machinist. He retired form the Chambersburg Area Senior High School in 1984, where he spent 26 years as a vocational machine shop teacher and 15 years as a guidance counselor. He also coached JV football and, upon retirement, he substitute taught at Franklin County Area Vo Tech Center. He also enjoyed working in the office at Amsley’s Collision on Friday mornings. A master craftsman in wood and metal working Bill created many valued heirlooms and enjoyed helping his family with their own home projects. He cherished time spent with his family and he took a special interest in the lives of his students, long after they graduated. He was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, the Elks BPOE 600 and the VFW Post 1599.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM on Monday, May 7 in Corpus Christi Catholic Church 320 Philadelphia Ave. Chambersburg, with Rev. James R. O’Brien officiating. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM on Sunday in the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg. Memorial contributions may be made to the Masonic Children’s Home, Attn. Office of Gift Planning, 1 Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022; or to the Chambersburg Hospital Building Project, c/o Summit Health Development Office, 785 5th Ave. Suite 1, Chambersburg, PA 17201.