Carl Frey Constein

Dr. Carl F. Constein

Dr. Carl Frey Constein died Monday, August 16, 2021. He was predeceased by his wife, Amy Gring Constein, who died in 1991. He was born in Fleetwood in 1920, a son of the late Henry S. Constein and Clara Frey Constein. He is survived by a daughter, Anne G. Constein. He was predeceased by a brother, George F. Constein, and a sister, Luella C. Meitzler Kauffman.

Carl graduated from Fleetwood High School in 1938 and Kutztown State Teachers College in 1942. He became a WWII Aviation Cadet and in 1944 received his pilot's wings and commission as second lieutenant. He was assigned to the Air Transport Command in India to fly armament and gasoline to China over the Himalayan Hump. For his 96 missions he was awarded two Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After WWII he began a career in education, first teaching in Belvidere, NJ. The following year he earned a Master's degree at Temple University and became chairman of the English department at Wilson High School, West Lawn. He received a doctorate from Temple and was named Director of Curriculum of the Wilson District.

Dr. Constein became Superintendent of Schools of the Antietam School District in Mt. Penn-Lower Alsace in 1960. Six years later he returned to the Wilson District as Superintendent. From 1957 through 1967 he wrote 400 weekly columns for the Reading Eagle in a series entitled "Berks Schools in Review." In 1970 he went behind the Iron Curtain to study the Soviet Union's education system. He shared the trip with readers in a 10-part Reading Eagle series entitled "An American in Russia."

Following his retirement from public education, Dr. Constein became Education Director of the Manufacturers Association of Berks County. As Executive Director of the local chapter of the Americans for the Competitive Enterprise System (ACES), he presented programs on free enterprise to high school seniors and arranged follow-up visits to businesses and industry in Reading and throughout Berks.

He wrote and published nine books—three on his experiences flying the Himalayan Hump in the China-Burma-India theater of operations (Born to Fly the Hump; Tales of the Himalaya; Missing in the Himalayas); three novels (Orchestra Left, Row T; Sadie's Place; Manuscript Missing); a Pennsylvania German history novel (From the Rhine to Penn's Woods); a memoir (War Memories, Civilian Musings); and a tribute to his wife who died of Alzheimer's disease in 1991 (In Fear of Alzheimer's).

His abiding interests were enjoying classical music, playing tennis, studying and teaching the structure and use of the English language, pursuing life-long learning, bridge, and travel.

Dr. Constein was a member of St. John's (Hain's) United Church of Christ, Reading Music Foundation, Fleetwood Area Historical Society, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Heidelberg Heritage Society, Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University, and the Berks County Tennis Club.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at 2:00 pm at St. John's (Hain's) U.C.C., 591 North Church Road, Wernersville, with a visitation in the Chapel beginning at 1:30 pm. Burial was held privately.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Constein's memory may be offered to the Reading Musical Foundation, PO Box 14835, Reading, PA 19612, or to the Fleetwood Area Public Library, 110 Arch Street #112, Fleetwood, PA 19522.

The Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.