Frederick "Fred" Walch, 60, of Three Rivers, passed away Wednesday, August 14, at Baystate Wing Hospital, after a courageous battle with cancer.Fred was born August 23, 1963, in Ludlow, MA to the late Richard and Yvonne (Vermette) Walch. His childhood was spent living in the quiet town of Brimfield, where he enjoyed playing pickup games with his neighborhood friends, as well as organized town sports. He graduated from Tantasqua H.S. in 1981 and continued his education at STCC, where he received his A.S. Degree in HVAC Technology. He began his career with Noonan Energy in Palmer, working his way up to Service Manager during his 18 years there before moving on to NEMSI for over 20 years. He was well-known in the HVAC community for his keen troubleshooting skills, expertise and dedication. These skills were certainly passed on to his son, who continues the tradition while operating his own company.Fred spent over 20 years playing softball in the Palmer league, where he met many life-long friends, and was well-known for his quiet demeanor, surprising power and understated sense of humor. He was a dedicated fan of the Red Sox, but a bigger fan of his beloved Patriots. He loved roller coasters, ice-fishing and golf, but really cherished spending time at gatherings with his family and friends, where he took great pride showcasing his fantastic cooking skills and sharing laughs.Fred will be dearly missed by his two children that brought him immense pride, son Ryan (Rachel) of Ware and daughter Ashley (partner Justin) of Wilbraham, along with their mother Debbie of Wilbraham. He is survived by four siblings: Richard Walch (Lisa) of Palmer, Lorene Skaza of Ludlow, Darlene Wood (Jeff) of East Brookfield and Susan Walch of Wales. He also leaves behind his beloved nieces and nephews: Susan, Peter, Elizabeth, Cameron, Alicia, Delaney and Mason. We know he will be missed by his many friends, especially his dear friend Sean Moynahan, whose unwavering support is appreciated by the family.Family and friends are encouraged to attend his memorial service on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 11AM at Brimfield Cemetery. A Celebration of Life gathering will follow later, starting 4 PM at The Elks Lodge in Ludlow, MA. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Dakin Humane Society, in recognition of Fred’s love of animals, especially his dogs.