Memorial for Frederick W. Pillsbury Born in Boston on Dec. 28, 1922 Called by God on Jan. 1, 2008 and resided in Petersham, MA.   Service: Monday, Jan. 7, 2008 Cemetery: Private Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.    Frederick Watters Pillsbury, 85, of 21 East St., Petersham, Massachusetts died Tuesday, January 1, 2008 in Heywood Hospital, Gardner after a long illness. Frederick, son of the late Samuel and Helen (Watters) Pillsbury, was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 28, 1922 and was raised in Milton, Massachusetts, residing there for many years before moving to Petersham. He graduated from Milton Academy where Fred was on the track, wrestling teams and football teams. Fred still held at least one track record at Milton when his son, Sam, was in school. He married his wife, Bina on December 7, 1946. During World War II, Fred completed a tour of duty with the American Field Service. He served in North Africa with the British Eighth Army. After his tour of duty in the Field Service, he joined the U.S. Marines. He was the Skipper of an amtrack boat and landed on Saipan. Fred hated war and was reluctant to discuss what he had seen in action. Following World War II, Fred enrolled at Harvard University, graduating in 1952. A few years later, he received a Harvard Nieman fellowship to study journalism for one year with other young journalists from around the world. He began his career at the Quincy Patriot Ledger where he wrote editorials. He moved to the Boston Herald as a reporter. Next, he worked at the Philadelphia Bulletin for five years. Fred later moved the family back to Boston and returned to the Boston Herald. Fred and his Co-Editorial Editor, Leonard Wheeldon, quit the Boston Herald in protest over a front-page editorial endorsement for Attorney General. Because the editorial had been placed on election day without their knowledge. Fred and Leonard considered the endorsement highly unethical. This act of protest put Fred and Leonard in the news. The two writers were hired by the Boston Globe the next day. Fred remained at the Globe until his retirement. Fred loved dogs and cats. He and his wife, Bina, often had a couple of each. He loved the work of Raul Dufee and listened to Mozart but also kept up on music that his children listened to. Fred read biographies of US presidents and history throughout his adult life. He was always in touch with politics and the news. He devoured books throughout his life. After he retired, Fred became a landscape photographer specializing in broad panoramas of Vinalhaven, Maine and the ocean. He had several exhibits in Maine. He loved sailing and raced cruising sailboats often with his son, Sam. Fred and a friend sailed a small boat across the Atlantic when they were both in their late 60’s. The last thing that Fred wrote for the Globe was a story about that trip. The story included Fred’s photography. Fred and his wife Bina loved Maine and spent their summers on Vinalhaven Island. He is survived by his wife; Bina (Pierce) Pillsbury, one son; Samuel P. Pillsbury of Chicago, Illinois and two daughters; Polly S. Pillsbury of Petersham and Elizabeth H. Pillsbury of Somerville. You are invited to attend a Memorial Service in the First Parish Unitarian Church, Petersham Common, Petersham on Monday, January 7 at 1:00 pm. There are no calling hours. Burial in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Nieman Foundation, c/o Ellen Tuttle, Walter Lippman House, One Francis Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138. To sign the online guestbook for the Pillsbury family, visit our website at www.fletcherfuneral.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Lamoureux-Fletcher Community Funeral Home, 105 Central St., Gardner.

| More ...

Service information is posted on our website only with approval from the family. If you are seeking information not listed below, please contact us.