BLUMENTHAL, FRED

BLUMENTHAL, Fred V.

Age 86, of Dayton, passed away Monday, November 21, 2022. Fred was born in 1936 in Cincinnati, OH, but was proud to be a Daytonian since infancy.

He was predeceased by his father, Jule; mother, Bess; brother, Larry; sister, Shirley Smith and many close friends particularly, Ken, Ralph, Bob, Dutch and Jerry, Jim and Mac, Pat and Fred and Jean and Tom, Harry and Bette, Nancy, Markie, Connie and Jim, Glenn, Dig and of course, Pepper.

Fred is survived by nieces Amy Blumenthal and Nancy McManus and their children, nephew Hank Blumenthal, and by Fred's great love, Patty Bell who did her best to keep him on the straight and narrow, and by Patty's daughters, Jennifer and Melissa and their daughters who called him "grandpa".

Fred was a graduate of Fairview High School, class of 1954 in its late golden years. He attended the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University. He spent two years in the U.S. Army (thankfully, between wars), serving in capacities ranging from infantryman to disc jockey, never rising above the rank of Private First Class. Fred spent 35 years in the commercial art field, working for several firms as advertising artist, graphic designer, art director and lastly as freelance artist, earning many awards in the field.

His great avocational love was the theatre, starting in an 8th grade skit at Jefferson High School. It ran two performances (two assemblies). In an unremembered role, he sported a handmade cardboard black handlebar moustache which kept falling off during the performance. Accident or not, it got laughs. In any case, the bug had bitten. Over the years and in over 150 productions, he worked with many theatres in the area, and was for a period of time a member of the professional actors union, Actors Equity. He worked with the Human Race Theatre Company, La Comedia Dinner Theatre and Indianapolis' "Phoenix Theatre."

Fred found his special theatrical home while in high school, appearing briefly in a non-speaking role in a play at The Dayton Theatre Guild. He devoted over 60 years to the Guild as an actor, director, scenic designer, property maker, administrator and custodian. Fred was also responsible for the Guild's graphic design needs for many decades including the creation of the Guild's logotype. Fred was an early inductee into the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame.

Fred was proud of his sense of humor. He appreciated all the wonderful comedians and humorists with a special place in his heart for the greats: the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Lenny Bruce, P.G. Wodehouse, Bob and Ray, Stan Freberg, S.J. Perelman, Al Hirschfeld and Walt Kelly. He was very interested in the English language and, like Perelman, was inordinately proud of his vocabulary. Patty called him "Mr. Word Bird", sometimes affectionately. Fred took great joy in reading. Books, magazines, newspapers and even well written ad copy. His sizable home library contained volumes on topics ranging from Architecture to Zeppelins with an emphasis on history. And he loved trivia! Often to the annoyance of friends and family.

Fred, like most, loved good food, particularly his mother Bess' Jewish dishes and baked goods and Patty's delicious Italian specialties. He was a committed carnivore. He also loved art and good contemporary design, Coca Cola (the good stuff, not diet), chicken livers and chopped liver (gout be damned!), crossword puzzles (hard but not too hard), nomenclature, the Cincinnati Reds (through thick and thin), handsome automobiles, nice clothes, chocolate chip cookies, Skyline Chili, TV, movies, bacon (Bess, forgive him), the New Yorker cartoons (got almost every one), typography, nostalgia, Christmas, Dr. Brown's Cream Soda, Bing cherries, Falling Water and his own apartment, and assorted tchotchkes which filled his apartment floor to ceiling. He hated most green vegetables, coffee, any seafood with gills (except tuna), hypocrites, and reactionaries.

Fred hoped there was a heaven so that he could see his loved ones and dear old friends again. And he could enjoy some of the things which made him happy on earth, especially the Coca Cola.

A Celebration of Life for Fred will be held at 11:30 AM Monday, November 28, 2022, at the Marker & Heller Funeral Home, North Main Street Chapel, 1706 North Main Street. A reception for family and friends will be held on Monday from 1-3 PM at Fred's residence. Private interment Tuesday at Schachnus Cemetery in Cincinnati. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave, Dayton, OH 45410.

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