Alfreda "Freddie" L. (Reynolds) Carlson

Alfreda “Freddie” L. (Reynolds) Carlson, 79, of New Cumberland, and formerly of upstate New York, passed away on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, surrounded by family at Penn State Holy Spirit Medical Center. She was the daughter of the late Alfred and Gladys (Earing) Reynolds and was born on February 21, 1942, in Schenectady, NY.

Freddie was a graduate of Mont Pleasant High School. She went on to earn her undergraduate degree in music education from the State University at Potsdam (renamed State University of New York at Potsdam), Crane School of Music, where she was a member of the college choir and also spearheaded the formation of a new sorority. An intelligent and musically gifted woman, she enrolled in the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, where she obtained a master’s degree in music education. She began her career as an elementary school music teacher in the Scotia-Glenville School District. She met and married her husband Richard in 1967.

Freddie transitioned from school teacher to private piano teacher. She gave lessons out of her New Cumberland home for decades, retiring in just the last couple of years. She volunteered with CONTACT Helpline for many years and later became the Volunteer Training Coordinator for this organization that provides emotional support and health and human service information and referrals. Freddie was director of the handbell choir at Trinity United Methodist Church in New Cumberland, where she was a member for over 40 years. She also enjoyed going on spiritual retreats with her close friends, Pat and Dick. She loved her kitties and animals of any kind. Freddie was an expert pinochle player, avid reader, and great fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates. She was an adoring grandmother who doted on and loved spending time with her grandchildren, who will greatly miss their “Baba.”

Surviving Freddie is her husband of over 53 years, Richard C. Carlson; daughters Karen Zeedick (John) of Etters and Catherine Haggerty (Michael) of Pittsburgh; grandchildren Linnea Zeedick, Viola Haggerty and Harry Haggerty; sister-in-law Lynn Zawacki (Chester), and 22 nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her older siblings, Eileen Morse (Raymond); Verna Whaley (Neil); Shirley Dinsmore (Daniel); Norma King (Thomas); and in-laws Viola and Ludwig Carlson.

A memorial service will be held at 2PM on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 415 Bridge Street, New Cumberland, PA.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Freddie’s name to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – Eastern PA/Delaware (www.lls.org/epa-de) or CONTACT Helpline, Harrisburg (www.contacthelpline.org/donations).