Freddie Lenn Harwell

Fred is survived by his wife of 34 years, Vicki; his precious children, Christy James Gibbs (husband Mike), Sabrina Bowers (husband Greg), Brad James (wife Kennye), Krit Wallace (husband Colby), and Rachael Harwell; grandchildren, Sean James (wife Luci), Cyerra James (soon-to-be husband Tanner), Marissa James, Xander Gibbs, Emma Wallace, Noah Wallace, Beatrix Bowers, Mason James, and Caden James; great-grandchild, Amaya Algood-James; brothers, Greg Harwell (wife Anna), Michael Harwell (Teresa) and Jeff Harwell; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his father, Freddie Junior Harwell of Poplar Bluff, Missouri and his mother, Annie Merle Embrey Harwell of Chunky, Mississippi.

As an Air Force family, Fred lived in many of the continental United States, Alaska, and the Philippines. After graduating from East Anchorage High School in 1973, Fred joined the Peninsula Oilers, a college summer baseball league in Kenai, Alaska where he played for one season.

Soon after, he rejoined his parents in Texas and attended Hill Junior College on a baseball scholarship where he finished his AA degree with an emphasis on education. He moved to Houston and went to work for Union Carbide in 1979 as a liquid gas truck filler. Between filling trucks, Fred took the initiative to learn how the plant operated, worked his way up to plant operator and eventually became the youngest shift superintendent ever in that plant. He worked for Union Carbide/ Linde/Praxair for almost 30 years when he retired in 2008.

Fred then started his own commissioning company, Custom Cryogenics, and travelled all around the world overseeing start-ups and staff training of air separation plants (producing oxygen, nitrogen and argon) until his death.

Always on the go with endless energy, Fred woke up every morning with the question, “what are we going to do today?”. He was forever working in his yard, travelling the roads in the Texas Hill Country stopping at antique and junk stores along the way, and working the various properties he owned throughout his life.

Fred loved most sports, with baseball being his favorite, and was a lifelong, avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. He was a firm believer that his high school and college sports career kept him “off the streets” and out of trouble. As an adult, he coached his kids’ sports teams, refereed basketball leagues at the middle and high schools, and threw baseballs and played basketball on the driveway with his kids and grandkids.

Fred loved hummingbirds, old episodes of Andy Griffith and The Rifleman, nature, his favorite cups, Chinese food and Long John Silvers, Eagle Rare Whiskey, working out, high fashioned athletic wear, i.e. sweatpants and t-shirts, the Texas Hill Country, yard art, collecting baseball cards, red velvet cake, live concerts, golf cart rides with his grandchildren, rock and roll music, and Jesus. But most of all, he loved his family fiercely and was the constant protector of those he loved. He has left a big hole in our lives, but we find comfort in our reunion one day.

Visitation will be held from 1-3pm on Thursday, May 22nd at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa Street, New Braunfels. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, May 23rd at 11:00am at Bulverde Methodist Church, 28300 Highway 281 North, San Antonio with a reception following in the church’s Community Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Cardinals Care, Helping Children in our Community-Both On and Off the Field.