BOCA RATON, FL ---- William ‘Freddie’ Fredrick Maxwell Anstey, 88, passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025, in Boca Raton, FL.
Freddie was born on May 6, 1936, in Somersworth, NH, the son of Maxwell and Louise Barteaux Anstey.
He married the love of his life, Claire Ruel of Rochester, NH on May 23, 1956. They were a real-life version of the popular Nicholas Sparks love story "The Notebook”. One of his favorite stories from their early courtship, was when Freddie would literally sprint from Somersworth to Rochester just to see her. By the time he arrived, he was so out of breath he wasn’t able to articulate that he was there to visit Claire. This was the beginning of his love for her and it never stopped after all those years.
One of Freddie’s favorite places was the ocean. Spending many years at the family’s summer home at Long Beach Sands, ME and later at Biddeford Pool, ME. After moving to Boca Raton, FL, his love for the ocean only grew. He always needed to “make sure the ocean was still there” which was his way of planning a visit to Deerfield Beach, FL.
Freddie is survived by his wife of 69 years, Claire Anstey and their children, Kathleen Garneau Bieniarz, Carolyn Jorgensen, Bruce Anstey, Steve Anstey and Sharon Mayron, his sister Gloria Cornell, his beloved grandchildren, Laurie Garneau Chappell, Kristie Garneau, John Anstey, Jeffrey Anstey, Jason Anstey, Missy Anstey, Alivia Jorgensen Aubut, Shiran Mayron Gola, Edan Mayron and Avi Mayron and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Freddie is predeceased by his siblings Susan O’Connell and Robert Anstey.
As Winnie the Pooh would say, ’How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”. Daddy/PaPa, we miss you!
Freddie was a member of the Congregational Church of Laconia. There will be a private family gathering later this year.
Please consider making a donation in Freddie’s memory to a charity of your choice.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.