Fred Louis Kellmeyer
Passed: April 28, 2025
Charleston, WV
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Fred Louis Kellmeyer
Passed: April 28, 2025
Charleston, WV
Obituary
Fred Louis Kellmeyer passed away April 28, 2025, after a long illness.
A resident of Charleston, WV, he worked for more than 60 years in the Insurance industry receiving numerous awards. His career began with the Fred N. Kellmeyer Agency and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. In recognition of his outstanding service, Fred was honored in a Penn Mutual Top Club advertisement in LOOK magazine. Fred then blossomed into a partner role with Grimm, Kellmeyer, Garlow and Associates Insurance Agency, Inc., where he continued until his illness. Fred was best remembered by his clients and co-workers for his integrity, dedication, and true passion for the industry.
Born in Wheeling, WV, on April 9, 1941, to Mary Lee and Fred N. Kellmeyer, he spent his childhood in Charleston, where his father introduced him to sports as a youngster. At Charleston High School Fred excelled in football (where he played Quarterback) and also enjoyed participating in track and basketball. However, his standout sport was tennis for which he and his beloved sister, Peachy, shared such a passion. Together, they guided the men’s and women’s teams to multiple tennis titles. Upon graduation, Fred attended Hampden-Sydney College, a Liberal Arts college in Virginia.
Fred and his sister, Peachy, grew up playing tennis at the Charleston Tennis Club. In the summers, their father would drop them off at the Tennis Club on his way to work and take them home after finishing his own evening tennis match. As a junior player, Fred was honored to participate in the USJCC Annual Junior and Boys International Tennis Tournament in Phoenix, AZ. Fred participated in tournaments in various places including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and even Canada. He was a member of the men’s 4.0 team that won the 1990 National Tennis Championship. For Fred, tennis was a lifetime passion where he learned the value of triumphs and the ability to handle defeats.
It was a love of life and people that made it easy for Fred to adapt and to be successful in the insurance business. Small in stature but large in heart, he loved music and dancing and could often be found taking his children and grandchildren to Morgantown for WVU football games. He considered Florida and the beach “second homes” and cherished spending time there with family and friends.
Left to treasure his memory are his wife of 35 years, Dixie; son, David (Terrie) Kellmeyer of San Diego, CA; son, Christopher Kellmeyer of St. Petersburg, FL; daughter, Katherine (Geoff) Atkinson of Carlsbad, CA; stepdaughter, Amy Paxton of Charleston, WV; sister, Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer of Largo, FL; sister, Kay Kellmeyer of Deerfield Beach, FL; and grandchildren, Naish, Colton, and Poppy Kellmeyer of San Diego, CA.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Fred’s memory to https://www.ustafoundation.com or Hospice Care WV, 1606 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston, WV 25387.
You may send condolences to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted to handle the arrangements.
No Events & Services
USTA Foundation
- Website: https://www.ustafoundation.com
Hospice Care WV
- Address: 1606 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston, WV 25387 - (Get Directions)
6 responses to Fred Louis Kellmeyer
Mary N. (Given) Staples says:
May 7, 2025
Peachy, this is Mary Staples and David Given, the children of Martha Given with whom you spent many hours and years playing tennis. We all grew up at the Tennis Club and spent many years there in our younger days.
We are sorry for the loss of Freddie. He will be fondly remembered. Our condolences to the entire family.
Larry Cochren says:
May 6, 2025
What a great guy. Always the competitor and I always enjoyed playing doubles with him or against him during my time in Charleston. He was always so supportive of my college guys and gals during my time as Coach at the University of Charleston. Condolences to his family as he will be missed by many.
Larry Cochren
Kim Bingaman says:
May 5, 2025
One of my most favorite people. What a guy! I’m so sorry for your loss Dixie. I’ll always remember him❤️🩹
Jay Goldman says:
May 3, 2025
The best of the best. Many great times together from Jr High till now. Best man in my wedding.; We could write a book. My best to Dixie and all his family. They broke the mold.
John Santrock says:
May 3, 2025
What an amazing guy was Fred Kellmeyer (I always called him Freddie). We spent so much time together in so many ways. He and I were fierce competitors in tennis growing up and we lived together in Charleston a number of years when I was a tennis pro at CTC.
Freddie had a remarkable ability to make people laugh. He had nicknames for about everyone ( mine was “The dog” short for hot-dog and my flashy tennis play). When I talked to my daughter Jennifer about Freddie yesterday, she said that is how she best remembered him as she was always so serious and he always lifted her up with his funny comments. I share some of Jennifer’s seriousness so her comments apply to my relationship with him as well.
Freddie’s tennis game is best described as “retriever” “never gives up” and “fierce compeitior”. I think he hit the ball slower than about anybody. He wanted to always keep you on the court longer–3 hrs or more–so he could wear you down. I made sure matches with him didn’t go that long. After these long matches finished, he usually had blood on his knees from where he dived for balls.
The Kellmeyer name is very well known in Charleston tennis circles and Freddie was very proud of it, especially his contribution and his famous sister, Peachy’s.
The world was a better place with Freddie in it. I loved my time with him–his contagous smile, laughter, ability to read people, and being such a caring person. God bless you, my friend.