Freddie Glenn McClaskey Jr.
Freddie Glenn McClaskey Jr., 68, of Leavenworth, died Jan. 7, 2009.
He was born to parents Freddie G. McClaskey Sr. and June Cahill, on June 22, 1940.
On Jan. 11, 2009, Fred and Sue would have celebrated their 24th anniversary.
From birth, one could say Fred pursued sports passionately. At age 5, he was the marble champion of Washington State. Through his formal education in Goldendale, he participated in basketball, baseball, and track, breaking many records in just about every sport. He played professional baseball for the Pittsburg Pirates and Chicago White Sox, and from 1965-1967 he served in the U.S. Army, having received an honorable discharge.
Along the way he worked in many occupations. Fred was not afraid of work and fun, he was very community minded. He started working doing dishes for his dad at the Simcoe Café and Lounge in Goldendale, at age 10; then upon returning from the Army he managed the Shaw Restaurant and Lounge. He then moved to Ellensburg, where he managed the Triple X Drive-in, as well as worked construction and ran a casino. For the last 27 years, he owned and operated The Der Ritter Hoff Motor Inn, in Leavenworth. Freddie told people many times his two greatest passions were, playing baseball and running his hotel with his wife.
Fred was a visionary in the most unusual way. If he saw something in his vision, he just went after it. From teeing off golf balls at his hotel, appreciating flowers from all the neighbors’ gardens, coloring Easter eggs with his grandchildren, or enjoying vacations with family and friends and playing golf.
He is survived at home by his wife, Suzanne of Leavenworth, brothers-in-law, Cliff and Richard Moone, both of Leavenworth; his children, Gary McClaskey of Arkansas, Dore’ Schiller of Spokane, Freddie McClaskey of Wenatchee, Rachael and Todd McClaskey of Leavenworth, Kathy O’Connell of Wenatchee, Dean LaGoe of Colfax, Calif., and brother, Brian Cahill of Wenatchee; 11 grandchildren, Heidi, Danielle, Nicole, Ariel, Heather, Jessica, Blake, Kayla, Christina, Cody and Alexis; and three great-grandchildren, Kylie, Kyenn, Nevaeh.
A celebration of Fred’s life will be held Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. at Cascade Mountain Bible Church, located at 11025 Chumstick Highway, in Leavenworth. There will be a gathering for friends and family to remember Fred following the service at the Leavenworth Golf Course.
Memorial contributions may be made in Fred’s memory to the Central Washington Hospital Hospice Fund, 933 Red Apple Road, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Ward’s Funeral Chapel, Leavenworth is in charge of the arrangements.
