Roll Call Tribute

Klein Funeral Home - Tomball obituary
1400 West Main
Tomball, Texas 77375
(281) 351-7233

John "Jack" Frey
March 20, 1932 - May 2, 2018

J.R. “Jack” Frey Obit



J.R. “Jack” Frey, March 19, 1932-May 2 ,2018. Jack was a devoted husband, father, paw paw, friend, cattle rancher, harmonica player and teacher, hunter, fisher of men and fish, leader and teacher to leaders, Airborne Ranger, Bible study leader, Young Life leader and lifelong volunteer, deacon, elder, church planter, businessman, developer, salesman, athlete, fighting Texas Aggie, Rotarian, racquetball champion and cyclist. He carried his bike in the back of his pickup truck so he could exercise where ever he was. Jack parachuted up to Heaven on May 2nd, 2018, together with his lifelong friend, doing two of his favorite things; spending time catching up with his buddy and fishing at the mouth of the Mississippi. Fittingly, Jack and Don were promoted to their heavenly bodies together! Jack was reunited with his beautiful bride, Shirley, of 63 years who preceded him in death just three months earlier.



Jack was born in Upland, California, one of four children to Ernie and Betty Frey. Jack moved to Texas with his family in 1946. He was very proud of his California roots until a trip to the east coast, he learned that it was a lot better to be a Texas cowboy than it was to be from California; he was Texan from then on, cattle ranching and all. He was a pole vaulter at Lamar High School where he graduated and moved to College Station where he attended Texas A&M University. He was in the Corps of Cadets; he learned to play hand ball and that is why he became such a great racquetball player; he knew how the ball came off the wall better than anyone that just picked up the racquetball racquet. He played football at A&M with his buddy Don Tabb and his brother Dick Frey. He graduated from A&M in 1953 and was commissioned as an officer in the US Army. He became an Airborne Ranger in the 82nd Airborne Division. Jack and Shirley married in 1954 and quickly adopted a family of 30 boys at the Hershey Boys School in Hershey, Pennsylvania, knowing then that he wanted to mentor young men to seek God first in their lives. He continued that mission throughout the rest of his life by establishing clubs in local schools and leading clubs when he was younger. After leaving Hershey, Jack went through basic training in sales, he sold cookware door to door and his father (Ernie) was Jack’s and his brother Dick’s mentor. Ernie told his boys, “if you can learn to sell you will always have a job and you will always be able to provide for your family.”. And provide they did! In 1964 Jack and Dick and three other friends established a company called Swipe. They took this company worldwide selling a household cleaner to housewives. They had success beyond their wildest dreams. In 1971, Jack moved his family to the country, Tomball, Texas. By 1973 he was retired from the company he helped start and Jack started a new career in real estate development. In 1974 Rosewood Hill opened just west of Tomball. With its success, Jack developed three more subdivisions west of Tomball, eventually bringing his four sons into the business and together they developed Timbergreen and his last development, his ‘swan song’, High Meadow Ranch and High Meadow Ranch Golf Club.



Jack and Shirley were blessed with the success of their real estate developments and they never lost focus on what was important to them, family and youth ministries. Both Jack and Shirley were committed to Camp Peniel, the camp where they met and where Shirley met Christ; because of this they were committed to sending kids to camp who could not otherwise afford to go. Jack and Shirley sent kids to Camp Peniel, Frontier Camp, Young Life Camp, and Kanakuk Kamp in Missouri.



Jack never lost focus on his family in spite of his numerous business successes, he had the uncanny ability to juggle 12 things at once. He coached all four boys in various sports: football, baseball, basketball and taught them all to love water skiing as he did! He led their Young Life groups (Happy Hour) and Christian Service Brigade (Boy’s Brigade) and Shirley led Pioneer Girls and Together In Christ! Jack took his boys on numerous backpacking trips in Colorado also taking a large number of the local high school boys with them. His goal was to win young men to Christ and he did. God used him mightily! Jack’s goal was never to draw attention to himself but to lead young leaders in the right direction and teach them to seek God first in their lives and he lived this life before them. As his kids grew up and left home Jack and Shirley focused on young couples and taught them the same things. He transformed from being the youth leader and local youth coach into teaching and mentoring the new youth leaders. He became the leader to leaders!



Jack, Dad, Paw Paw loved his family, enjoyed getting together and playing games, sharing meals and sharing stories. He loved people and deeply cared about their salvation or lack thereof. All conversations eventually led back to what really mattered to him and that was spreading the exciting news and Gospel if Jesus Christ.



Jack is survived by his brothers Dick Frey, Bill and Karry Frey, sister Julia and Terry Taylor; sons and spouses, Richard and Chris, John and Sharon, Paul and Beth, David and Joanna; grandsons and granddaughters and spouses, Heather and Chris Qualters, David and Aly Frey, Adam and Bonnie Frey, Kathryn and Jon Geerlings, Kevin and Rebecca Frey, Anne and Brandon Carreker, Megan and CJ Ruhnke, Hannah Frey, Kyle Frey, Sarah Frey, Travis Frey, Tyler Frey; great grandsons and great granddaughters, Tom and Ben Geerlings, Hallelujah and Norah Grace Carreker, Vesta Kelly Qualters and Jaclyn Elizabeth “Jac” Frey.


Service Schedule

Visitation
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ,Friday, May 11, 2018
Tomball Bible Church
400 N. Walnut Tomball, tx, Harris 77375
Click Here view a map.

Memorial Service
3:00 PM ,Saturday, May 12, 2018
Magnolia's First Baptist Church
18525 FM1488 Magnolia, TX 77355
Click Here view a map.