Sadly, very little is known about Harry and Irene Freye. They married late in life and had no children. Harry died on October 22, 1973, and Irene died on November 9, 1978.
It is quite possible they met at the Macbeth-Evans Glass Company, a Charleroi-based glass company and a major manufacturer of glass lamp chimneys, light lenses, glass for automotive, marine and railroad use and, later, colored Depression glass, a sought-after collectable today. Harry worked for the firm as "a minor official" and Irene was a clerk. Corning Glass Works of New York purchased MacBeth-Evans Glass Company in 1937 at which point Harry retired and spent the final 30 years of his life successfully managing his own investments.
When Harry died, he left three trusts to support his wife during her lifetime. After she passed away in 1978, the trusts passed to The Pittsburgh Foundation. Like the company they once worked for, the fund continues to brighten the lives of young people today and has supported the work of the North Side Civic Development Corporation and Pittsburgh Futures Inc., a $25 million program that assists at-risk teenagers. Grants have also provided support for daycares for children and local radio station WYEP.
Type of Fund
- Unrestricted