Fred Pelsinger

Fred Pelsinger, 80, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 25, 2023, in Houston, TX. Throughout his life, Fred lived life his way every day. He shared a full and rich life with his lifetime love and cherished family. Fred was born on February 8, 1943, in Brooklyn, NY. As a young man, he loved playing music and causing trouble along with his siblings. After college, he worked as a submariner in the Navy. He worked at several companies in New York City before opening an office in Chicago for Express Forwarding and Storage. This job moved Fred and his young family to Houston in 1977, thus beginning Fred’s new life in Texas. In 1980, he opened his own freight forwarding company, and 12 years later, he began a business as a military household goods transportation service provider. Elena and Fred opened Katy Van Travel Inc in 1984 and were very active in the travel community with memberships in ASTA and SKAL. Fred was an active member of AIPAC. He raised his family in Houston, where he was an active and dedicated member of Congregation Beth Am and later Congregation Or Ami. He was devoted to his Jewish community. Fred loved entertaining with his wild sense of humor and zest for life. Travel was his passion which he shared through a lifetime of trips with his wife and family. He lived life to the fullest and made everyone around him smile. Fred enjoyed good music. He played all the woodwinds, but drums were his instrument of choice. He trained at the famed Julliard School in a high school program. Fred is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Elena; his children, Mindy and Bob Mueller, Shara and Eric Hymowitz, and Janna and Chris Jones; his siblings Jay Pelsinger and Marilyn Cooke, Ken and Linda Pelsinger, Lonnie Luchnick and Cara Kaplan; and his treasured grandchildren, Ilyssa, Shaye, Micayla, Brenna, Jadyn, Reece, Sesha, Dylan and Benny. He also leaves behind much-loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The family requests donations in Fred’s memory be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center (https://www.mdanderson.org) or Congregation Or Ami (https://oramihouston.org/donations/). There was a funeral service on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at Congregation Or Ami, 3443 Wilcrest Dr., Houston, Texas, 77042. It was followed by the interment with military honors and Masonic Funeral Rites at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Ln., Houston, Texas, 77055.

Fred Pelsinger

February 8, 1943 - February 25, 2023