Fred A. Akel, age 80, of Lincoln Park and a former longtime resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, January 3, 2018.

Fred was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. A bright and gifted kid, he skipped a grade and was therefore able to graduate from Brooklyn’s Manual Training High School in 1954. Unfortunately, his dear father John passed away suddenly when Fred was a young teenager, so following graduation, Fred was called upon to run his family’s grocery business - Akel’s Grocery in Brooklyn. He managed the store until he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Before serving, in 1958, Barbara was having her sweet sixteen party. Since they grew up across the street from each other, it was customary for everyone in the neighborhood to be invited. During the party he asked Barbara if she would like to go out with him. Their first date was to the movies to see The Ten Commandments. They dated for five years, two of which Fred was serving in the Army. He served in Germany, from November, 1960 until October, 1962. During his service, his eardrum was permanently damaged and from that time forward he served as a clerk typist for the Military Police while back home in the states, Barbara awaited his return.

When he returned to the states in the fall of 1962, they planned their wedding and exchanged their vows on Saturday, February 23, 1963 at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Brooklyn with Barbara’s uncle Monsignor Elias Skaff presiding. After a reception at the Bossert Hotel – a place where the Brooklyn Dodgers would often stay, Fred and Barbara honeymooned at the Honeymoon Haven in the Poconos. The honeymoon lasted only four days because Fred had to get back to his new job at the John Hancock Insurance Company.

Fred enjoyed a rewarding career with John Hancock Insurance Company. He started as an insurance agent, underwriting policies for his many satisfied clients. Fred enjoyed upward mobility in the company later becoming a staff manager before ultimately rising to the level of Labor Relations Administrator. He and Barbara were transferred to Ohio and Illinois from 1969 to 1976. After that they were able to relocate back to the east coast, and settled in Wayne where they spent the next 39 years enjoying life and raising their four beautiful daughters.

In 1993, at the age of 55, he was able to retire but, still having a lot to give to this world, he started a new venture selling comforters. He eventually added sweaters to his line of offerings which he would sell at various flea markets. His outgoing, warm personality and genuine love for people in general enabled him to enjoy much success until he decided to explore another new venture – working with a Funeral Home in Brooklyn. Since his roots were in Brooklyn, he still knew what seemed like just about everybody that lived there. Again, his warm personality, ability to speak Spanish and Arabic, and his genuine care for the grieving enabled him to serve his client families well.

Although he lived all those years in Wayne, Fred’s Brooklyn roots went deep. He used to say, “You can take the guy out of Brooklyn but you can’t take Brooklyn out of the guy.” When he was just eighteen, he joined a men’s club in Brooklyn called the SYMA. He even served as president of this group for many years. It was a social club, but was also involved in charitable endeavors. Fred also loved to go to Atlantic City, which he visited frequently with a variety of family and friends. He enjoyed many games of chance and everyone knew his lucky number was 8.

Above all else, Fred positively adored his family. He was blessed with four daughters. When they were young he even coached them in a town softball league. Although Fred had little experience with the sport, as luck would have it he was teamed up with a very knowledgeable teenage girl who knew the sport well. With a mix of coaching advice and a bit of his natural charm, he ended up being coach of the year and they even asked him to coach the all-star team!

When it came to his nine much-loved grandchildren, he used to say, “If I knew having grandchildren was going to be this much fun, I would have had them first!” Fred spent the next few years enjoying countless celebrations, sporting events, and the accomplishments of his grandchildren. Like any good grandfather, he taught all of his grandkids how to play poker and blackjack. He also enjoyed cooking with them and his granddaughters always enjoyed a friendly competition of trying to be his favorite granddaughter.

Fred's big heart and compassion along with his infectious personality made him an extraordinary man. He wanted to tip everyone from the person who washed his windshield at the gas station to the nurses who helped him in the hospital, not because he felt obligated but because he truly believed they deserved it. Fred had a way of making everyone feel like they mattered.

His positive outlook on life and his charismatic warmth just put everyone he met at ease. It should really come as no surprise that he was this way because to Fred, his fellow man or woman was the most important thing of all. He would often say that anything that could be replaced with money really had no value. People were the most important!

Fred was the beloved husband of Barbara (nee Skaff), loving father of Christine Akel of Elmwood Park, Joanne and husband Michael D’Aloia of Wayne, Michelle Antonucci of Saddle Brook, and Renee and husband Andrew Centineo of Fairfax, VA; adored grandfather of Allison, Tyler, Christopher, Alexis, Victoria, Trevor, Caitlin, Jake, and Jenna; caring brother of Claire Kressaty and her late husband Fred, and brother-in-law of Richard DeFalco. He was predeceased by his dear sister Yvonne DeFalco in 2002.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Fred’s name, are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or at www.stjude.org.