Frederick W. “Fred” Pinkham, Jr., of Malden, passed away peacefully on November 30th. He was the beloved husband of Barbara J. (Willette) Pinkham, with whom he shared an extraordinary 73 years of marriage.
Fred was the devoted father of Frederick Pinkham and his wife Karen of North Reading, MA, William Pinkham and his wife Melany of Litchfield, NH, Kevin Pinkham and his late wife Dorothy of Lynn, MA, Robert Pinkham of Revere, MA, David Pinkham and his wife Susan of Malden MA, and Gary Pinkham and his wife Lisa of Reading MA.
He was the loving grandfather of Brian, Eric, Mark, Michelle, Melissa, Matthew, DJ, Nicole, Brooke, Kevin Jr, Sean, Holly, Olivia, and Sarah, each of whom brought him great pride and joy. Fred was also the cherished great-grandfather of Nicholas, Cameron, Jackson, Alex, Jack, Dean, Ava, Renzi, and Samantha, a growing family who lit up his later years with laughter and love.
Fred dedicated 39 years of his life to the MBTA, where he served in many roles and ultimately retired as a District Supervisor. He was a respected colleague, known for his work ethic, reliability, and steady leadership.
In retirement, Fred and Barbara embraced adventure. Their travels took them to Ireland, Italy, on cruises through the Panama Canal, and on annual trips to New Hampshire with dear friends and fellow retirees. These journeys created cherished memories that he recounted often.
Fred never forgot a birthday and never missed an opportunity to remind his family how much they meant to him. He took immense pride in the family he and Barbara built—six sons, seven grandsons, seven granddaughters, and nine great-grandchildren—a legacy of love that continues to grow.
Even into his 90s, Fred maintained close, lifelong friendships, speaking with his friends regularly and cherishing the bonds that had supported him throughout his life.
He is survived by his sister Shirley Schiavi of Wilbraham and was predeceased by his parents, Fred and Margaret Pinkham of Everett, his sister, Joan Pinkham Conti of Stoneham, and his brothers Robert Pinkham of Woburn and Edward Pinkham of Malden.
Fred will be remembered for his warmth, generosity, strong family values, and deep devotion to those he loved. His presence will be profoundly missed, but the memories he created will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
Funeral from the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Thursday December 4th at 9:00am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Fred’s life in Saint Mary’s Church, Herbert Street, Melrose at 10:00am. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4:00pm-8:00pm. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.
The family requests in lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org or Perkins School for the Blind. https://www.pppperkins.org