Ancestors

Fred Chase

Fred O. Chase II was born in 1947, the son of Lewis Chase and A. Gertrude (Orr) Chase. His memorial and his obituary in The Recorder of Greenfield describe him as a lifelong resident of Gill, Massachusetts. He graduated from Turners Falls High School in 1965.

He married Andrea J. Harris, who was born in 1948 in Deerfield. She was the daughter of Melvin B. Harris and Gladys (Foote) Harris. Andrea worked as a licensed practical nurse at Franklin Medical Center, and later in childcare, home health, and hospice work. The couple had two children.

Fred was an ASE-certified mechanic. ASE is the national certification for automotive technicians. He worked as a master mechanic for Northfield Sand & Gravel and for Lane Construction, in three states. In the 1980s he opened his own convenience store, an antiques shop, and a repair and towing business. In the early 2000s he and his son took up the restoration of antique Mack trucks.

He helped found the Western Mass Chapter of the Antique Truck Club of America. He later became the club's longest-serving national president. In Gill he served as a police officer, rising to sergeant and acting chief. He was a junior firefighter, reaching the rank of Engineer, and taught first aid. For 40 years he was the town's elected constable, an office that serves legal papers and keeps order at town elections. He still held it at his death.

Andrea died in 2024. Fred died on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, in Gill, with his family around him. Both are buried in Gill Center Cemetery.

If Fred Chase is in your family, start your own tree.

Cite: Heirology, "Fred Chase (1947-2025)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/fred-chase-1947-2025-ec4555.