Fred Peter Meyer, 85, of Avon, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, March 21, 2016, surrounded by family.

Fred was born in Berlin, Germany on April 2, 1930 and was the son of Germaine (Wasserthal) and Harry Meyer. His family fled Nazi Germany and immigrated to the United States in March 1939, a few months before the start of World War II. He and his parents settled in Flushing, New York and became American citizens in 1944.

Upon receiving his Bachelor of Arts in English and German from New York University, Fred was drafted to serve in the Korean War, assigned to the US Military Liaison Mission to the Soviet Commander-in-Chief, stationed in Pottsdam, Germany, which was in the Russian zone at that time. After two years of military service, he attended Columbia University, where he received his Masters in Education. He subsequently served as a teacher, guidance counselor, Director of Guidance and Assistant Principal over the course of his esteemed 36-year career in education in the Valley Stream and Northport, New York school systems. For twenty years, he was involved in summer camps, first as a camper, counselor and unit head at a YMCA in Pennsylvania for 13 years, and then as a camp director of a private sleep- away camp in New Hampshire for 7 years.

Fred is predeceased by his beloved wife and life partner of 55 years, Anne (Schickman), whom he married in 1956. They enjoyed their retirement years in their lovely home in Avon and traveled the world with family and friends.

Fred is survived by his two children; Jeanne Lebens and her husband Joe of Burlington, Connecticut , and Richard Meyer and his wife Kim of Frederick, Maryland; by his grandchildren, Karyn Tindall and her husband Brendan of Avon, Connecticut and David Hollister of Boston, Massachusetts, and by Richard’s daughter, Taylor Campbell of Frederick, Maryland.

Fred will be remembered by all who knew him as a devoted family man, a lover of animals and nature, a passionate New York Yankees fan, a world traveler, an opera buff and an avid reader. His intellect, quick wit and amazing storytelling abilities will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Fred and his family wish to offer heartfelt thanks to Laura, Jaqui, Marilyn, Jessica and the rest of the wonderfully compassionate hospice staff at the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurses Association who helped Fred remain in his home during his illness, surrounded by all the people and things that mattered most to him. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Fred’s memory to the Farmington Valley VNA, 8 Old Mill Lane, Simsbury, CT 06070.

Friends are invited to call at the Vincent Funeral Home, 120 Albany Turnpike in Canton on Sunday, April 3rd from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM closing with a sharing of remembrances by his family. Refreshments will follow at the home of Jeanne and Joe Lebens.