Karl Heinz Frey Service Information

Karl Heinz Frey of Chalfont died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving and devoted family on Thursday, September 22, 2022.  He was 84.

Heinz was the husband of 20 years to Margaret Bretzel Frey.

Born in Augsburg, Germany he was the son of the late Georg and Margarete Hahn Frey.

Heinz, as he was known to his friends and family, grew up in Göcklingen, Germany with his widowed mother, sister, grandparents, and extended family in the same town. As a young person, Heinz studied to become an electrician. Growing up, Heinz also participated in the cultivation and harvesting of grapes in the surrounding vineyards of his beloved region, the Rheinland Pfalz of western Germany.

In 1957, at the young age of 19, Heinz decided to leave war-torn Germany and travel to New Jersey, USA as an electrician’s apprentice. Heinz met his first wife, Renate Hüber, in Philadelphia, and they married in 1965. Renate and Heinz settled in Chalfont, Pennsylvania where they raised their two children, Susanne and George.

Heinz worked in the avionic communications sector before beginning his career at Honeywell in Fort Washington, where he worked the majority of his life. Heinz very much enjoyed his role as Principal Technical Aid developing and building prototype models for Honeywell. He relished the camaraderie and participation in the creative process with his colleagues, whom he held in the highest esteem.

In 2002 Heinz married his beloved Peggy, and they became world travelers, even before Heinz retired from Honeywell ten years ago. Peg embraced her new life “in the country” where together they raised chickens, kept bees, picked blueberries and tended a beautiful garden. They hosted many picnics and barbecues with their blended family and friends. Heinz’s happiest memories were of family and friends gathering in the garden. Heinz devoted weekends to working in his garden, helping family members with projects, attending family gatherings, and watching his grandson play lacrosse, rarely missing a game.

Despite many family members being half a world away, Heinz kept in touch with his beloved sister and cousins in the Pfalz, Germany. There were visits “across the pond” in both directions, with much laughter and precious time spent simply being together.

Heinz enjoyed numerous hobbies with his friends and family. Chief among those were golfing with the retirees of Honeywell, dancing at German clubs, hunting, and working with the local Peck’s Pond Cabin Club of Eureka. Other hobbies include attending farm shows, creating stained glass artwork, woodcarving, clock building, wine-making, cider-pressing, beeswax candle-making, and the list goes on.

In addition to his wife Margaret, Heinz is survived by his loving daughter Susanne Frey, her husband Bruce Widdows, their son Adrien of Doylestown and Heinz’s loving son Christian George Frey of Doylestown. Heinz is also survived by his sister Helga Katharina and her husband Klaus Schellhaas of Mörzheim, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany. Heinz is also survived by loving family members of his wife’s family, the Bretzels: Kathleen Bretzel and late son John Robert Pearsall; Donna Landeta (Sean) and children Amanda Dayton (Derek) and their children Henry and Teddy, Alexa Funsten, and Joseph Landeta; Robert Bretzel (Meegan) and children Aidan, Nathaniel, Zoe and Logan; Jennifer Larish (John) and children Jack and Eva.

Heinz’s family will receive friends on Friday, September 30, 2022 from 10:00am until his Funeral Service 11:00AM in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Avenue (at Sandy Ridge Rd.) New Britain, PA 18901.  His interment will follow at Whitemarsh Memorial Park in Prospectville, PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Heinz’s memory may be made to support Montana State University’s research on honeybees. Please click the link below to access the donation page: 

https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1584/form.aspx?sid=1584&gid=1&pgid=452&bledit=1&dids=153.

At the bottom of the donation page there is a place to enter Heinz’s name in tribute.

In speaking with Michelle Flenniken, Ph.D., a researcher at Montana State University, the family learned that when bees gather nectar from the herb thyme, it is beneficial to their health. Please spread the word, and plant some thyme in memory of Heinz, for the bees. More information on Dr. Flenniken’s important research can be found at the following link: https://plantsciences.montana.edu/directory/faculty/1524085/michelle-flenniken

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