Fred Diamond Obituary

William "Fred" Diamond, age 96, of Ave Maria, Florida, for 5 years, passed away on Monday, May 12, 2025. Husband of 66 years to Frances Ann (McGuire) Diamond, Father of Rick (late Judy) Diamond, John (Becky) Diamond, Bev (John) Davis, Bonnie (John) Wilbert, Suzie (Adam) Hughes, and the late Joseph Diamond, Mikey Diamond, and Freddie (living Barb) Diamond, 15 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
USMC Korea (1948-1953), Cement mason and crane operator retired from Union Electric Steel, member of Ave Maria Catholic Church. Fred enjoyed bowling, fishing, bingo and spending time with his family.
Predeceased by his wife, Frances, his parents James Diamond and Elizabeth (Leadbitter) Diamond, and 10 siblings, 3 sons, Joseph, Mikey, and Freddie Diamond, and one granddaughter, Caitlin Ann Davis.
Special thank you to Dr. John Pennisi, Dr. Peter Luthringer, and Vitas Hospice Care Inpatient Hospital and Vitas Home Health employees.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in the memory of Fred Diamond. Make checks payable to Ave Maria Catholic Church on the memo line write "Capital Campaign". Checks may be mailed to::
Ave Maria Catholic Church
5088 Annunciation Circle
Ave Maria, FL 34142
For mass intentions please call the parish office at (239) 261-5555.
Through the eyes of a daughter
William Frederick Diamond, or Fred, as he was called as long as he could remember, passed peacefully into eternal rest on Monday, May 12, 2025.
Fred was born a few months before the stock market crash which created the Great Depression. He was one of eleven children born to James and Elizabeth (Leadbitter) Diamond in Sturgeon, Pennsylvania. He had eight sisters, one brother and a sister died before he was born, and another brother, 10 years his senior died while Fred was a young boy. That left four older sisters; Helen, Margaret, Jean, and Grace and three younger sisters; "the twins", Rheda and Rhoda, and the youngest, Barbara.
Growing up in a large family with strong Christian values during tough economic times shaped his character into a strong, compassionate man. As a young boy he worked on a nearby farm chasing chickens and gathering eggs for a few pennies to help the family. If he had a few cents to spend for himself, he would buy comic books. He admitted that he would charge his sisters money to read his books or ride his bicycle! Later in life, recanting those stories with his sisters brought lots of joy and laughter between them.
The death of Fred's older brother, Tom, left a hole in his heart that never quite healed. Tom wanted to join the military but was refused due to health issues. So, in 1948, Fred joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He wanted to serve his country during the Korean War and honor his brother who had passed away shortly after being rejected by the military. Fred immediately told his ranking officer to send him over to Korea to fight. He was denied this request and kept stateside stationed at Camp LeJeune as a supply clerk for his 3-year stint. The following four years, he served the Marine Reserves. After Korea was over, Fred saw the reason why his superior didn't send him abroad as he met the Marines as they returned, maimed and traumatized. Fred then vowed to name his first-born daughter after his superior, Lieutenant Beverly. Fred was discharged as Honorable at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1953.
With his military service behind him and still serving his Reserve commitment, he began the search for a spouse. A friend set him up on a blind date with who would be his future bride and mother of his eight children, Frances McGuire. They shared 66 years of marriage which brought along many challenges, struggles and heartbreaks. The first heartbreak was the death of their first-born son, Joseph, only a few short hours after his birth. The second loss was their son, Mikey, a few days before he turned four. The third devastation was burying their son, Freddie, at the age of 64. Throughout all the adversities, they stuck together.
Fred was part of "The Silent Generation". This generation viewed things very simply; right and wrong, good and evil, suffer through life's challenges without whining and complaining. Anyone who knew Fred knew that he fit that profile. He was a man of little words and rarely would you see him expressing his feelings verbally. The Marines instilled in him a greater sense of discipline, structure and fighting for a just cause. His Christian faith guided him in morals and values. His children were raised with strictness and a lot of love. He showed his love for his family by working multiple jobs just to put food on the table. Despite the financial strains that came along with feeding, clothing, and sheltering a family, he would often help others in need. He was an excellent cement finisher and a "Jack-of-all-trades" handyman. If someone needed help, he accommodated the request. He was there like a Marine on call to serve his family and friends.
Even after his children reached adulthood Fred was quick to help. When us siblings needed money, whether to start a business or make it to payday, he was there for us. But it didn't end there, he was quick to help with a project or babysit his grandchildren. For example, when I was well along in my pregnancy with Caitlin, and Brianna was less than two years old, my husband got a new job as a Vice President of a large steel company. We moved to Granger, IN and the next day my husband had to leave to go to Asia for two weeks. We hadn't unpacked a single box! I was totally overwhelmed and called my dad. He dropped what he was doing and drove 6 hours to our house where he spent the next 2 weeks helping to organize the house, move furniture around, unpack boxes and play with his grandchildren. He even put up a small swing set for them to grow into. Like his Marine training, he was slow to speak but quick to act.
Frances died in 2019, and it quickly became apparent that despite his insistence, he could no longer care for himself. We asked him to come to Florida to stay with us a while. He moved in and never left. Caring for him during the last 5 years of his life was a real blessing. He became best friends with our Labrador Retriever, and she loved his constant companionship. At first, he could go bowling and swim in the pool but as he moved into his mid-90's he slowed down. Although, until the end he loved playing his bingo, especially when my sister Susie came down to visit him and take him there.
A few days before he passed our daughter Brianna brought her son Cillian to visit him in the hospice. His face lit up when he saw his little "nugget!" Brianna laid the 5-month-old next to him in bed, and he smiled and placed both hands on his head, looking intently at the baby. He was giving him a patriarchal blessing.
The day before he passed my husband took Stella, our lab, to visit him. She sat beside the bed, and he pat her head. On her own, she jumped on the bed and lay next to him, laying her head on his chest. He placed his hand on her head, and they just laid there in silence. They were quietly saying their goodbyes.
He passed in the wee hours of the night on May 12. He had no final words and no family surrounding his bed. He passed the same way he lived his life, silently, as fitting a Marine.