Frederic W. Locke

RANDOLPH - Frederic Winslow "Fred" Locke died in his home in Randolph, Vermont, on Memorial Day, May 26, 2014.

Fred was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 9, 1926, to Richard Baldwin Locke and Helen Joyce Locke. He grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts, and graduated from Belmont Hill School (class of 1944), Yale University (Bachelor of Arts, 1949) and Harvard Graduate School of Education (Master of Arts, 1955). He joined the Naval Air Force during World War II, arriving too late to see action.

His professional career as a teacher, administrator and educational consultant started out at The Shady Hill School Teacher Internship Program (Cambridge, Massachusetts), where he met Holly, the love of his life and wife of nearly 63 years. Fred served as headmaster of Gordon School (Providence, Rhode Island), Graland School (Denver, Colorado) and Oak Lane Day School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), taught at Germantown Friends School (Philadelphia), and helped establish the Philadelphia Teacher Center, a resource for elementary school teachers affiliated with the Philadelphia Public School System. Fred was passionate about education that served creativity, the heart and soul, as well as, of course, the mind.

Fred married Charlotte Rose "Holly" Welles (Smith College, 1949) on June 23, 1951. Fred and Holly had four children, Majida Miller, Frederic W. Locke Jr. (married to Holly Huillet), Robin Locke Nagele (married to Drew A. Nagele) and Katy Locke (married to Steve Chase). Fred and Holly have three grandchildren, Christopher Hastings Nagele, Alexandra Rose Nagele and Emily Welles Locke. He is also survived by one of his four siblings, David Locke, of Sedona, Arizona.

His family was at the center of his life. Fred's greatest joys were times spent with his family and close friends: sailing and cruising off the coast of Westport Point, Massachusetts; canoeing in the waters of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, and Lake Temagami, Ontario; body surfing in the ocean; skiing (downhill and, later, cross-country) in Colorado and Vermont and out the front door of his farm in East Brookfield.

After fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning a farm in Vermont (in 1972), Fred and Holly commuted to East Brookfield for holidays for over 20 years. In 1993, following retirement, they lived at the Locke Farm for 14 years, until 2007, when they moved to Randolph.

Fred was an active and beloved member of Bethany Church and was active in the community. He served for many years in the Orange County Court Diversion Program and was a member of its board of directors. He was a member of the board of directors of the Randolph Area Food Shelf and donated the extra lot next to his house in 2011 to establish the School Street Community Garden after becoming passionate about local sustainable agriculture in the community. Fred was a quiet, humble servant of many, a close, deep personal friend to a few, a wonderful listener and a farmer at heart with a sharp eye and a quick wit. He died peacefully at home in his bed, surrounded by loving family. He will be sorely missed, especially in this final community he chose to call home.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Bethany United Church of Christ in Randolph, with the Rev. Jonathan New officiating. There are no calling hours. Online condolences may be left at www.dayfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be sent to Orange County Court Diversion, P.O. Box 58, Chelsea, VT 05038, or to Randolph Area Food Shelf, 12 Prince St., Unit 3, Randolph, VT 05060. Or, if time or organic manure or plants are more your style and you would like to help fulfill Fred's hope and vision of a robust crop in 2014 to help support the food shelf, please contact: Majida Miller, 802-505-0823, School Street Community Garden, 20 School St., Randolph, VT 05060.

Arrangements are by the Day Funeral Home.