Shelter Island Reporter obituary: Fredric J. Gurney
Fredric J. Gurney, 83 years old of Melvin Village, N.H., passed away on May 22, 2024 after a period of declining health.
He was born on Dec. 24, 1940 in Brooklyn, N.Y. to the late John Rodney and Dorothy H. Gurney.
Fredric, fondly known as “Ric” by all who knew him, spent much of his childhood between Garden City and Shelter Island, where his family had a summer home.
After high school, he served in the Army National Guard. Shelter Island is where he settled and met his wife, Gayle E. Bacon of Wilmington, Del. The two were married on April 25, 1970. Ric and Gayle raised their children, David and Meredith, on Shelter Island. This is where he ran the family business for over 50 years.
Ric spent many years deeply involved in the community. He was actively involved as a Boy Scout leader for many years; was one of the founding members of the Shelter Island Chapter of the American Red Cross; was a hunter’s safety course instructor; a founding member of the Shelter Island chapter of Ducks Unlimited; a Shelter Island Person of the year; a founding member of the Heights Property Owners Corporation; and a founding member of the Shelter Island Menantic Yacht Club.
Ric was deeply involved in the Shelter Island Fire Department where he served as a multi-term Heights Fire Commissioner, an ex-Chief in the Heights and was instrumental in the merging of the Heights and Center Fire departments.
Some of Ric’s favorite pastimes were sailing, skiing, tennis, hunting, range shooting and he was an avid armature radio operator (HAM). Upon retirement, Ric and Gayle moved to Melvin Village, N.H.
Ric is survived by his wife Gayle, son David and his wife Laura, daughter Meredith and her husband Brett, grandchildren Camryn, Lauren, Lily, John and Kenny, and sister-in-law Marilynn Bacon. Ric is also survived by his grand dogs Teddy and Brandy. He is pre-deceased by his brother, John Andrew — “Andy”.
Services to celebrate Ric are as follows: Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 11 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 258 South Main Street, Wolfeboro, N.H. The family will be placing ashes in the All Saints’ Memorial Garden.
Saturday, June 22, 2024 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 26 St. Mary’s Road, Shelter Island, at 11 a.m. Interment will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery.
The family will be receiving friends and family at the Shelter Island Heights Fire hall following the church service from 1 to 3 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Shelter Island Fire Department, PO Box 613, Shelter Island, NY 11964.
