Memorial to Frederick (Fred) A. Hensel 1948-2025

Frederick A. Hensel, 77, of Flushing, NY, passed away on Friday, August 15th, 2025. Born and raised in Flushing, he dedicated his life to service, family, and his community.

As a young boy, Fred sang in St. Andrew’s choir as an alto and had a love of music, especially DooWop. Fred served in the United States Army first in Germany then as a radio operator with the 1st Signal Corps during the Vietnam War, where he earned numerous medals and honors, including the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. After rising to the rank of Sergeant, he was honorably discharged. As a proud Vietnam veteran, Fred continued to serve his community in many ways.

After returning from military service, Fred began a career as a plumber—starting as an apprentice on the construction of the World Trade Center. He went on to work for more than 30 years as a proud member of Plumbers Local Union No. 1, eventually retiring after contributing to the construction of Citi Field, the new home of his beloved New York Mets. In retirement, Fred remained deeply involved in veteran affairs, particularly with the local VFW Post 4787, where he held various leadership roles, including Commander.

Fred’s mother had sparked an interest in philately since she was a collector of UN stamps and he advanced to be highly specialized in Falkland Islands and military postal history. He wrote articles for various philatelic journals, discovering some unique items never seen before and sharing his knowledge with others. His passion for uncovering true historical stories led him to connect with people from across the globe, including individuals in Chile and New Zealand.