| In Fond Memory of... Melchior Freund, OSB  (April 25, 1930 to April 10, 2005)
This page is dedicated to the memory of my astronomy mentor and
lifelong friend, Fr. Mel Freund. I met Fr. Mel when I was in just 4th
grade and he was a Professor of Astronomy and Mathematics at St. Johns
University. My growing obsession with astronomy, mathematics and
science drove my parents to connect me with Fr. Mel. Despite our difference
in age, Fr. Mel rapidly became a very close and lifelong friend.
Fr. Mel was a man of many talents. He completed his master's degree at the University of Iowa in 1963 with an emphasis in astronomy that he studied with the pathbreaking astrophysicist, Dr. James A. Van Allen (yup, the Van Allen belt), and even though his 50-year teaching career focused primarily on astronomy, he also taught calculus and computer science.  Fr. Mel loved music and was a highly accomplished pianist. His fascination with aviation lead him to obtain a pilots license and he enjoyed flying a great deal. Moreover, a chance reference he once made to cumulus humilis clouds resulted in his appointment as the local meteorologist. The National Weather Service recognized him for submitting faithful meteorological data for over 30 years (in sickness or in health, it has been revealed to us that he never missed even one submittal!). But on top of all this, and perhaps most importantly, Fr. Mel was a very kind man who cared deeply for all people. Despite his busy schedule, he always had time to say "hi", joke, and had a kind word for anyone and everyone. Fr. Mel was an extremely strong, disciplined individual and based on long history, we believed him to be virtually indestructible. When a variety of health issues began to emerge, he conquered them one-by-one and we expected that he had several good years of life remaining. However, on April 10, 2005, Fr. Mel passed away peacefully, but very unexpectedly. On clear nights, Fr. Mel used to call us to make sure we were out CCD imaging...but those calls will no longer come. We celebrate the life of Fr. Mel and all the happiness he brought to our lives, though we cannot help but feel the pain of losing a great friend. |