Obituary for Joseph Frederick "Freddie" Hancock, Sr.
Joseph Frederick “Freddie” Hancock, Sr., 88, of Compton, MD, formerly of Loveville, MD, passed away on January 10, 2020 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Born on October 10, 1931, he was the son of the late Mary Alma Long Hancock and Joseph Morgan Hancock. Freddie was the loving husband of Lorraine Burch Hancock, whom he married on August 24, 1955 at Immaculate Conception Church in Mechanicsville, MD.
A lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, Freddie attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School. He served two years in the Maryland National Guard. He worked as a mechanic for the Patuxent River Naval Air Station Fuel Farm, later at his own repair shop, and then the C&P Telephone Company. In 1970, he joined the business Hancock Refrigeration with his brother Billy. In 1976, he then moved on to a position in HVAC service/repair for the St. Mary’s County Board of Education, retiring from there in 1993. He was also a school bus contractor and driver for 30 years for the St. Mary’s County Non-Public School system.
Freddie was considered a “Jack of all trades.” He had the amazing ability to fix just about anything that he put his hands on, and if something was needed that didn’t exist, he invented it. He was famous for his ability to put a motor on anything. His cousins are convinced that he invented the first “moped” in St. Mary’s County – by putting an old gasoline powered washing machine motor on a bicycle in his teens.
There was always someone coming in and out of his garage/shop at home in Loveville, bringing him new projects and things to fix. Nothing made him happier than to help people out. Even in his later years, with severely limited eyesight and difficult mobility, Freddie always had a project going. In the last week of his life, he finished building/repairing an air compressor as a surprise gift for one of his grandsons – just because he thought it was needed.
Along with “tinkering”, Freddie enjoyed hunting, motor-home camping, boating, fishing, and crabbing. He was famous within the family for his steamed crabs. His grandchildren swore that no one cooked crabs that tasted as good as Pop-Pop’s. Freddie was also an avid NASCAR and Dallas Cowboys fan.
Freddie is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Lorraine Burch Hancock; his daughter, Mary K. Peterson of Piney Point, MD and her husband Billy; his son, Joseph F. “Ricky” Hancock, Jr. of Loveville, MD and his wife Cindy; his daughter, Susan P. Hall of Chaptico, MD and her husband Glenn; his daughter, Paula E. Kidwell of Hughesville, MD and her husband Charlie; his daughter, Julie M. Guy of Loveville, MD; his son, John M. “Jack” Hancock of Callaway, MD and his girlfriend Cathy Sparks; and his brother, Charles J. Hancock of Mt. Airy, MD. Freddie is also survived by eight grandchildren (William B. “BJ” Peterson IV, Christina Finegan, Kelly Trossbach, Jessie Hall, Alex McLean, Christopher Hall, Rose Hancock, and Jason Guy) and eight great-grandchildren (Emma Peterson, Madison Trossbach, Elizabeth Finegan, Cheyenne Trossbach, Jack Finegan, Henry Finegan, Liam Peterson, and Ryleigh Trossbach).
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; his siblings Mary Agnes Bailey, William B. Hancock, and Reggie Hancock; and his grandchildren Heather Hancock and Kerri Hancock.
The family will receive friends on Friday, January 17, 2020 from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, with Father Drew Royals officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be BJ Peterson, Alex McLean, Christopher Hall, Jason Guy, John Trossbach and John Finegan.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Leonardtown Vol. Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
A lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, Freddie attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School. He served two years in the Maryland National Guard. He worked as a mechanic for the Patuxent River Naval Air Station Fuel Farm, later at his own repair shop, and then the C&P Telephone Company. In 1970, he joined the business Hancock Refrigeration with his brother Billy. In 1976, he then moved on to a position in HVAC service/repair for the St. Mary’s County Board of Education, retiring from there in 1993. He was also a school bus contractor and driver for 30 years for the St. Mary’s County Non-Public School system.
Freddie was considered a “Jack of all trades.” He had the amazing ability to fix just about anything that he put his hands on, and if something was needed that didn’t exist, he invented it. He was famous for his ability to put a motor on anything. His cousins are convinced that he invented the first “moped” in St. Mary’s County – by putting an old gasoline powered washing machine motor on a bicycle in his teens.
There was always someone coming in and out of his garage/shop at home in Loveville, bringing him new projects and things to fix. Nothing made him happier than to help people out. Even in his later years, with severely limited eyesight and difficult mobility, Freddie always had a project going. In the last week of his life, he finished building/repairing an air compressor as a surprise gift for one of his grandsons – just because he thought it was needed.
Along with “tinkering”, Freddie enjoyed hunting, motor-home camping, boating, fishing, and crabbing. He was famous within the family for his steamed crabs. His grandchildren swore that no one cooked crabs that tasted as good as Pop-Pop’s. Freddie was also an avid NASCAR and Dallas Cowboys fan.
Freddie is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Lorraine Burch Hancock; his daughter, Mary K. Peterson of Piney Point, MD and her husband Billy; his son, Joseph F. “Ricky” Hancock, Jr. of Loveville, MD and his wife Cindy; his daughter, Susan P. Hall of Chaptico, MD and her husband Glenn; his daughter, Paula E. Kidwell of Hughesville, MD and her husband Charlie; his daughter, Julie M. Guy of Loveville, MD; his son, John M. “Jack” Hancock of Callaway, MD and his girlfriend Cathy Sparks; and his brother, Charles J. Hancock of Mt. Airy, MD. Freddie is also survived by eight grandchildren (William B. “BJ” Peterson IV, Christina Finegan, Kelly Trossbach, Jessie Hall, Alex McLean, Christopher Hall, Rose Hancock, and Jason Guy) and eight great-grandchildren (Emma Peterson, Madison Trossbach, Elizabeth Finegan, Cheyenne Trossbach, Jack Finegan, Henry Finegan, Liam Peterson, and Ryleigh Trossbach).
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; his siblings Mary Agnes Bailey, William B. Hancock, and Reggie Hancock; and his grandchildren Heather Hancock and Kerri Hancock.
The family will receive friends on Friday, January 17, 2020 from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, with Father Drew Royals officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be BJ Peterson, Alex McLean, Christopher Hall, Jason Guy, John Trossbach and John Finegan.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Leonardtown Vol. Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650.