Frederick I. Abeles

Fred Abeles died on Friday, August 20, at his home in Cheshire, Massachusetts after a brief illness. His wife of 49 years, Deborah, was with him.

Fred was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 8, 1926. He attended Brooklyn Tech High School and entered the U.S. Army Core of Civil Engineers immediately upon graduating at age seventeen, and spent the rest of World War II as a stateside instructor, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was extremely proud of his service in the Army, a formative event in his life, and wore his WW II cap proudly and often.

After discharge in 1946, Fred attended Adelphi University on Long Island, working nights as a messenger at the newly formed United Nations, another experience that greatly influenced his outlook on life. He often spoke proudly of a kind interaction he had had with Eleanor Roosevelt.

After graduating from college, he worked first as an accountant then transferred to the new area of computer data processing in various aerospace companies. In 1966 he started work at the State University of New York at Stony Brook as Director of Administrative Data Processing. It was there that he met Deborah.

Fred retired in 1985, and in 1986 he and Deborah moved to Cheshire, where he has enjoyed life doing his favorite activities which included playing with his dogs, Bouviers des Flandres, following thoroughbred racing, going to various restaurants, reading, playing on his computer, and working around the house. For several years he volunteered as a cataloger at Arrowhead, the Herman Melville Museum in Pittsfield.

Fred will be fondly remembered by friends and family for his cutting wit, sarcastic sense of humor, general warmth and insight, wise advice, his enjoyment of a good glass of wine, and many acts of kindness and support.

He is survived by his wife, his three sons from a previous marriage, James, Robert, and Kenneth, and seven grandchildren. Per his request, Fred will be cremated and his ashes buried at Saratoga National Cemetery in a private service. To remember or honor him, please make a donation to your local food bank.