Fred L. Carbonero

Carbonero, Fred Lewis, born August 15, 1927, to Fred and Adeline Carbonero, passed at home in Rochester on July 7, 2011, with his wife, Rebecca, at his side. Fred was a loving husband and father to his first wife, Shirley (Rieger) Carbonero, deceased, and their son, Kurt, and wife Lynn Marie (Berry). He is survived by his second wife, Rebecca (O’Connor) Carbonero, and her children Brigid O’Connor, Sean O’Connor, Kathleen (O’Connor) Surmont and son-in-law Greg Surmont. Fred is also survived by his sister, Yvonne and her husband Ed Novak, and their children Karen Bryner, Diane Siedzik, and Glenn Novak; Fred’s sister-in-law Ruth and her husband Ken Collister, and their children, Ken Collister, Linda Niederhofer, and Karen Reynolds; Fred’s sister-in-law Jane and her husband Jim Howard, and their children Janice Teak and David Howard, and each of their respective families. Fred had five grandchildren, Olivia and Collin Carbonero, London O’Connor, Evan and Wyatt Surmont, and leaves many great nieces and nephews, and close friends all the way back to his childhood. Two siblings, Ralph and Elaine, and his wife Rebecca’s son, Kevin O’Connor (father to London), predeceased Fred. Ralph’s wife, Marilyn (Fred’s sister-in-law), and her two children, Kimmy Rice and Kelly Carbonero also survive Fred.

Fred was born in Detroit, attended Goodale Grade School and Denby High School, from which he maintained very close friendships for the remainder of his life. He held championship honors in swimming during high school, and later lettered in swimming at the University of Detroit and Wayne State University. Fred was honorably discharged after 2 years of service with the U.S. Navy Air Flight Program, and went on to serve in the Detroit Police Department, while both pursuing his degree in Education at Wayne State University, and participating on the swim team. Fred’s love of swimming and physical education lead to his tenure as swimming coach at Seaholm, where he invented and produced a variety of foam products to assist his students in improving their swimming abilities. This interest lead to a basement-based business which expanded into the launch of Pull-Bouy, Inc., as coaches across the area and country began adopting Fred’s creations for the benefit of their own student athletes. Pull-Bouy expanded over the years, and spawned a sister company, Gym Closet, that produced and distributed a long list of physical education products to schools across the country. While growing a business, Fred also coached basketball at St. John’s Lutheran School in Rochester, where his son, Kurt, was a member of the team. Beyond swimming aids, Fred invested a great deal of time and energy in creating and supplying foam equipment (hurdles, mats, hockey sticks, etc.) to help physically and emotionally impaired children safely enjoy track and field and other sports competition. Notably, Fred donated such equipment to the Special Olympics, and was tremendously generous in giving of his time, energy and funding for other organizations as well, such as Rotary, Elks, and the Oakland University intercollegiate athletic program, where he was instrumentally involved in the early development of the Hall of Honor, and was a member of the President’s Club.

Fred will be remembered as an exceptionally generous and confident self-made man. He was a loyal friend, an entrepreneur, a pilot, a photographer, tailor, skier, diver, life guard, musician (having taught himself piano, harmonica, and guitar), author, and he took great satisfaction from building his own house, and playing Santa at Christmas time for decades. He enjoyed playing tennis when younger, and remained passionate about the game of golf. Fred loved spending time with Becky and his lifelong friends and family in SC and at his home in MI, and at his villa in Atlantis, FL.

Fred valued and enjoyed life and repeatedly professed his good fortune to all those who were so lucky to have known him. He never took anything for granted, and was truly thankful for the experiences, successes, comforts, and relationships that life dealt him.

Best of all, he was Fred to all of us. That’s a mold that was broken 84 years ago.

Memorial service 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 15th, at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 W. University Drive, Rochester; in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions would be appreciated to Special Olympics/Children’s Program, 3800 Hamlin Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326. Please leave condolences at www.pixleyfuneralrochester.com