Frederick L. Hafer of Lexington, formerly of Bedford, at age 90 died on April 15 2016. Born in Reading, PA and raised in Pottsville, PA, He graduated from Pottsville High School and attended three semesters at the Pottsville branch of Pennsylvania State University before entering the U.S. Military academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1946 as a member of the Army Air Corps, which later became the U.S. Air Force. He married Mary Stewart of Newburgh, N.Y. four days later. They were married for 69 years and had three children, Tom, John, and Abigail.

Lt. Col. Hafer had a long career in the Air Force, and received a Master's degree in electrical engineering from M.I.T. in 1950, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1963. He graduated from the Air War College in 1967. While serving at Cape Canaveral during the early years of the U.S. space program, he developed the telemetry system that eventually helped the U.S. put a man on the moon. From 1968-69 he served in Vietnam, where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After retiring from the military, he and Mary settled in Bedford where he continued his career as an engineer, and became involved in community life, including being a member of the Hanscom Airport Commission, the Bedford Historical Society and active at the DeCordova museum.

He was the loving grandfather to William Hafer, Virginia Goodwin, Moira Hafer, and Lucy and Andrew MacRobert; and loving great grandfather to Lily and Kai Goodwin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, Post Office box 4777, New York, N.Y, 10163.

A memorial service will take place at a later time, and interment of his ashes will take place at West Point.