Frederick A. Achey

Frederick A. Achey passed away peacefully on September 28, 2019 at Moravian Village in Bethlehem PA. He was 90 years old.

Fred was born in 1929 in Lancaster PA. He was the son of the late Charles A. Achey, Sr. and Ruth Mueller Achey.

Fred spent his childhood in Bausman, Lancaster County, PA, working with his father and brothers on the family farm. He attended Bausman Elementary School, Lancaster Township Junior High School and J.P. McCaskey High School. Fred earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Franklin & Marshall College. He moved to Bethlehem to attend Lehigh University, where he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Analytical Chemistry. He was a partner in the formation and start-up of Serfass Corporation, a Bethlehem firm which developed a specialty analyzer to determine the gas content in metals. Following the sale of Serfass, Fred joined the Bethlehem Steel Corporation Research Department at Homer Research Labs, where he worked until 1985. After leaving Bethlehem Steel, he obtained his real estate license and founded Apex Management Company, a Lehigh Valley property management company, which he owned and operated until its sale in 2016.

Fred was a strong believer in working hard, giving back, and enjoying life. His many activities included serving on the City of Bethlehem Planning Commission, Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board of Trustees of Central Moravian Church, Trustee at Moravian Academy, Advisory Board of Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust, Board of Directors of the Sun Inn Preservation Association, Board of Directors of the Saucon Mutual Insurance Company and member of Bethlehem Rotary. Fred was a long time member of Central Moravian Church. Fred and Marilyn were members of Saucon Valley Country Club for many years. For most of his adult life he was an avid golfer and skier, and enjoyed many ski trips (always including après ski wine and cheese) with family and friends. He was a proud member of the Bethlehem Men’s Wine Group since 1967 where he and Marilyn had great times and made lifelong friends. Fred also belonged to Le Chaine de Rotisseurs, a gourmet dining group. He played a competitive game of croquet, and gave no quarter to anyone on the croquet field. Fred was a persuasive promoter of the deliciousness of raw oysters. 

Fred traveled widely during his life, including trips to England, Switzerland, China and throughout the United States, and also relished his time in Brigantine, New Jersey. He was relentlessly curious and interested, and always eager to learn something new. His family was the center of his life.

Fred is survived by his wife, Marilyn, to whom he was married for 61 years; his daughter Caroline and her husband Richard Edwards of Yardley, PA; his son Wayne and his wife Karen of Bethlehem PA; his son Brian and his wife Teresa of Bethlehem PA; his grandchildren Lloyd, Jordan, Derrick, Wyatt and Frederick; his brother Phillip of Tallahassee, Florida; and by his beloved nieces and nephews. His brother Charles predeceased him in 2015. Fred will be terribly missed.

A Memorial Service will be held in the Old Chapel of Central Moravian Church, on Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem PA (parking access is from N. New Street) at 10:30 am on Saturday, October 5, 2019. Internment will be private at Nisky Hill Cemetery. Fred's arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Central Moravian Church, 73 W. Church Street, Bethlehem PA 18018 https://www.centralmoravianchurch.org/donate/.

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