Christian Adam Frey Jr. was born on May 13th, 1929 at the farm home north of Abilene, Kansas in the Buckeye Community. He was the fifth child of the Reverend Christian and Ella Bert Frey and had an older brother, Elbert, and three older sisters, Eilene, Ruth and Thata.
Chris grew up with a love for animals. He often rode his pony to the Chronister School or walked to school with his sisters and neighbors. He attended Chapman High School his freshman and sophomore years and then went to a church high school and college, Upland Academy at Upland, California for his junior and senior years. He attended college there for two years, graduating in l950.
There he began to date Bonnie Raser from Dallas Center, Iowa, whom he had met at Youth Camp in Kansas. The two were married on August 23, l950 at Dallas Center, Iowa in a double wedding with Bonnie’s sister, Esther, who married Earl Engle. Chris and Bonnie lived on a farm north of Abilene where Chris was a farmer and a farrow to finish hog producer. Chris showed special ingenuity and resourcefulness in solving problems and designed a productive hog operation. Chris and Bonnie had five daughters, Shelley, Carol, Glenace, Laurie and Ella. As a father, he was proud of his five daughters and encouraged each of them to get a college education, providing a way to make this financially possible.
He was supportive in their career and family pursuits and was a steady presence in their lives and the lives of his grandchildren. The Frey farm, where Chris was born and raised, became a special gathering place for cousins and grandchildren alike. Special care was taken to preserve the “home place” and make the house a spacious and updated residence.
Over the years, numerous friends and extended family benefitted from the Frey’s hospitality. Chris was a lifelong member of the Zion Brethren in Christ Church. He served the church in many different capacities including youth advisor, Sunday School teacher, trustee, deacon and treasurer. For thirty years he served in the position of treasurer which he especially enjoyed. Chris and Bonnie loved to travel with their children and attended several church conferences in far off states. Later they visited Bonnie’s brother, John and his family in Australia, cousins in Alaska, and daughters and their families in New York, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas. They made several trips to Mexico to be with Bonnie’s sister Lois who had a ministry there.
Chris is survived by his loving wife of seventy-five years and his five daughters with their spouses, Shelley and Steve Crider of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Carol and Dale Landis, of rural Abilene, Glenace and Ken Stanley of Aztec, New Mexico, Laurie and Noah Kaufman of New York City, and Ella and John McLaughlin of Powderly, Texas.
He is survived by thirteen grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. One grandson, Laird Landis, preceded him in death.