John Fried, 86, was Camp Ave. principal

John Fried, of Frederick, Md., a longtime principal of Camp Avenue Elementary School in North Merrick, died on Feb. 28 in Wilmington, N.C., after a long illness. He was 86 years old.

Fried was born in October 1927 in the Bronx. Later his family moved to Brooklyn, where he spent his childhood. Upon enlisting in the U.S. Navy when he was 17, he served from 1945-48 with the 5th Submarine Squadron in Pearl Harbor, assigned to the USS Bluebird, ASR 19.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in education from New York University in 1953, he was recalled to active naval duty from 1950-52, serving as a countermeasures mine warfare instructor in Yorktown, Va. After completing his service obligations, he went to teach in the North Merrick School District and earned a master’s degree in education from Hofstra University in 1959. Eventually he was appointed as the Camp Avenue principal.

After completing 38 years in education, he retired to Frederick in 1991, where he enjoyed fishing, playing golf and gardening.

He was predeceased by his first wife of 30 years, Sarah May Fried, and his second wife of 27 years, Edythe Fried. He is survived by his son, John Fried Jr.; daughter, Joan Thatcher; stepson, Tedd Melnyk; stepdaughter, Karen Sevene, eight grandchildren, including Laura and Daniel Fried, Samantha and Sarah Thatcher, Kira Hoang and Kimberly Sevene, and Matthew and Ryan Melnyk; and a great-grandson, Luka Hoang.

The family would like to offer a special thank you to the staff of the Wilmington Health and Rehabilitation Center for their kindness and concern throughout the past four years. The family would also like to express its deep appreciation to the staff of the Lower Cape Fear Hospice for their kind devotion and concern during Fried’s last days. In keeping with Fried’s wishes, there was no memorial service. There will be a sea burial performed by the Navy at a later date.