- Date Of Birth: April 20, 1939
- Date Of Death: June 1, 2022
- State: Pennsylvania
Desmond L. Fries, Jr., 83, of Bethlehem formerly of Tobyhanna, died June 1, 2022 in St. Luke’s Hospital, Fountain Hill. He was the life partner of Alexander “Al” Hartner for 35 years prior to Al’s death. Born in Fountain Hill, he was the son of the late Desmond L. Fries, Sr. and Ethel R. (Lehr) Fries. A 1957 graduate of Liberty High School and a graduate of Keystone Junior College, Desmond continued his education at American University in Washington DC. He served his country in the Army National Guard. He followed in the footsteps of his father and brothers when he became co owner of the family business, Fries Cadillac, Bethlehem, when his father died in 1974. Desmond operated the business until the franchise was sold in November of 1982. Desmond then worked as a machine operator for the Weiler Corporation, Poconos before retiring in 2009. In his spare time, he collected trains large and small and had an extensive layout. He loved to ski and enjoyed trips to Montreal. However, what Desmond enjoyed the most were his trips to his cabin in the Promise Land.
Survivors: nephews, Donald L. Fries of Berwick, Robin D. Bishop of Fleetwood; nieces, Georgeann Fries of Walnut Creek, CA, Cheryl Ann Staquet of Havre de Grace, MD, Linda Faust, Susan Hyduke both of Bethlehem, Deborah Balestrier of West Palm Beach, FL; numerous grand nephews and grand nieces. He was predeceased by his siblings, Donald L. Fries, Robert L. Fries and Elizabeth Bishop and his nephew, John Keith Bishop, Sr.
Contributions: Memorials may be made in Desmond’s memory to the Lehigh County Humane Society, 640 Dixon St., Allentown, PA 18103.
