Charles Richard “Dick” Frey 87 of Scottsbluff, passed away May 11, 2021 at his home. Dick’s ashes will be interred next to his late wife Peg at Mitchell Cemetery on Saturday May 29, 2021 in a private family gathering with a public open house “Celebration of Life” to follow at the Gering Civic Center from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers ,memorials may be made to “Rotary Polio Plus” program as he was a polio survivor. Online condolences may be made by viewing Dick’s memorial page www.jones-mortuary.com. Jones Mortuary in Mitchell is entrusted with arrangements.
The third of 23 children, Dick was born July 18th, 1933 at Scottsbluff, Nebraska to W. E. (Emil) Frey and Gladys Strey Frey. Dick attended Wet Spotted Tail School near the family farm north of Mitchell and graduated from Mitchell High School in 1951. He was a trombonist in the MHS Band and an extraordinary athlete participating in football, basketball, and track for Mitchell High, where he held records for many years and won many athletic medals and letters.
Dick married Virginia Schwartzkopf on October 3rd, 1951 in Mitchell and was blessed with two children, Judy and Wendell. Dick farmed for a short time with his dad, W. E. Frey, and became a research technician in 1960 with USDA/ARS at Scottsbluff Experiment Station. When USDA closed operations at Scottsbluff Station in 1963, Dick, Virginia, Judy, and Wendell were transferred to USDA Facility in Grand Junction, Colorado. The family then transferred to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1969 where Dick was involved in sugar beet research.
Dick married Peg Beatty, February 13th, 1975 at Cheyenne, Wyoming and was blessed with two step-children, Bruce and Lila Beatty. Dick and Peg lived in Fort Collins until 1983 when Dick was transferred one last time to Brawley, California where he served as Farm Foreman at the Brawley Experiment Station. He retired from USDA in 1990 after 30 years of service and moved back “home” to Mitchell. Upon retirement, Dick enjoyed time with Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren teaching them to drive. They loved their “Grandpa Dick”. Dick also enjoyed helping on the farm. Dick and Peg sold their Mitchell home in 2003 and moved to Scottsbluff, where he resided until his death.
Dick was an avid sports fan, through-and-through, watching whatever sporting event was on TV, especially on weekends. He could be regularly found at local coffee shops, meeting new friends and old, discussing local news and the “topic of the day.”
Dick Frey, as he was known to many, was active in the Federated Church in Mitchell, where he served as usher and the family regularly attended Sunday School and Services. In 2004, he transferred to Salem Congregational Church in Scottsbluff, where he served as Deacon.
Dick is survived by Judy (Rick) Keller of Gering, Wendell (Raymond) of Alameda, California, and Lila Gronau (Jim) of Mesquite, Texas; eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and numerous other relatives to whom he was close. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Peg, his brother W.R. “Bob” Frey, his sister Twila June Hale Brungardt, and step-son Bruce Beatty.
