Harold "Hal" P. Ehrenfreund

Cambridge-Harold P. Ehrenfreund, 91, of Cambridge, passed away Friday, November 30, 2018 at the Bennington Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Born June 29, 1927 in White Plains, NY, he was the son of the late Albert and Ruth (Palmer) Ehrenfreund.  Harold moved to Cambridge in 1942 and graduated from the Cambridge Union School and attended the NY State Maritime Academy, Frogs Neck, New York majoring in engineering. He served in the Naval Reserves for 2 ½ years.

He was a member of the Cambridge Masonic Lodge #481 since 1950 and also a Shriner and Jester in Troy, New York.  Hal served on the board of directors for the Mary McClellan Hospital and the Meiklenox Presbyterian Home, both in Cambridge.  He was a regional board member for Key Bank and belong to the State Poultry Association and NY State Food Brokers Association. In the Bennington community where he lived for 47 years Hal belonged to the Rotary and was a Paul Harris Fellow.  A longtime member of the Old First Church in Bennington, Hal served on the board of Trustees and was Chair for several of them.  He led the capital campaign to raise funds for the church’s major restoration in the mid-90s.  He enjoyed framing pictures and playing bridge.

Hal, founder of Owlkill Farm started hatching eggs in the cellar with his mother in 1942.  This grew into a breeding farm with a million egg capacity.  When his egg distribution dissolved, he sold surplus eggs in the Albany area. Creating a new market he picked up all the major chains such as Price Chopper, Grand Union, A&P and Star Markets.  He sold fertile eggs for vaccines to Sterling Drug which led him into a different market.  During the time he owned Owlkill farm he employed 150 people from the Cambridge and Ghent area.

Along with his friends Cle Dodge in Hoosick Falls and Less Driggs, the NY State Director of Marketing, Hal invented and patented two specialized egg processing machines one which peeled eggs and the other homogenized them for freezing and selling to the commercial market.

Hal’s other careers included managing Star Electric in Bennington and later becoming the regional sales representative for Safelite Autoglass.  Upon retirement Hal became a Real Estate Agent for Bob Martins Real Estate in Bennington and Tinkham Realty in Hoosick Falls.  

In addition to his parents, Hal was predeceased by a sister, Evelyn Smith and a brother, Herbert Ehrenfreund, two nephews Brian Betchelder and Charles Tiedemann and niece Brenda Barnak and sisters-in-laws Eleanor Betts and Midge Ehrenfreund. Harold is survived by his wife of 67 years, Elizabeth “Betsy” (Tiedemann) Ehrenfreund; his children, Susan Congdon of Bennington, Dian Ehrenfreund of Cambridge, Nancy (William) Dwyer of Forest, VA and Erich Ehrenfreund of Cambridge, NY.  He is also survived by his grandchildren, Matthew and family, Ryan and Amelia Wistuk, Dennett (Kate), Jesse, Scott (Amani) Dwyer and Justin Ehrenfreund and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held at the First Congregational Church, Monument Avenue in Old Bennington on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Kenneth Clarke, officiating. Reception following at the Old First Church Barn on Monument Circle.  Arrangements are being handled by the Ackley, Ross & Gariepy Funeral Home, 73 West Main Street, Cambridge, NY.                              

Memorial contributions can be made to the First Congregational Church Preservation Fund, 1 Monument Circle, Bennington, VT 05201 or to the Shriners Hospital, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104.

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