Harvey G. Freer

Harvey G. Freer Brockton Harvey G. Freer, age 86, years passed away unexpectedly Saturday at Brockton Hospital. He was the husband of the late A. Merideth (Carlson) Freer and the late Eileen (McKiernan) Freer. Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., he was a son of the late Arthur and Marguerite (ONeil) Freer. He was a graduate of Brockton High School, Class of 1939, a lifelong resident of the city and also summered at Duxbury Beach. He was employed by the New England Telephone Co. for 40 years, from which he retired in 1983. He was past commodore of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, belonged to the Vega Club in Brockton, served on the Brockton High School class reunion committee and was a member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brockton. Harvey served in the 8th Air Force stationed in England during World War II. He and his crew survived 25 missions over enemy territory and were sent back to the United States on a war bond drive. The entire crew volunteered to return to England for another tour. They were shot down four times on his second tour. Three times they were able to make it back to England, but on his final mission, his B-17 bomber was shot down over Germany and he spent the rest of the war in a POW camp. Harvey was also awarded the Purple Heart Medal. He is survived by his children, William E. Freer of Brockton, James A. Freer of Natick, Susan Newberg of Pembroke and Jayne Pinto of Orange, Conn.; four grandchildren, Cassandra and Rachel Freer of Natick, Spc. Michael Pinto, stationed in Fort Knox, Ky., and Christin Pinto of Orange, Conn.; a brother, William A. Freer, preceded him in death. Visitation will be held on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 3-7 p.m. in the Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home, 647 Main St., Brockton. A funeral service will be on Friday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow the service in the Melrose Cemetery, Brockton. Friends wishing to send memorial gifts may to he American Heart Assoc., 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. For additional information or to send a condolence, please visit www.d-mfh.com.