Frederic Asche

Frederic Bermingham Asche Jr., of Palm Beach and Dallas, died Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011, in Dallas. Known as “Tex,” he was born on Feb. 28, 1929, in Houston, the son of Frederic B. Asche of Houston and Grace Vale Asche, formerly of Milford, Del. He graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1947 and Amherst College in 1951. He continued his education at Columbia, Cornell and Colorado universities, where he pursued advanced studies in petroleum engineering. In 1951, he helped form the Manhatters, a barbershop quartet that performed at various venues, including a game-opening act at Yankee Stadium, and produced a record album, which lead to radio and television appearances. In the early 1960s, he worked for Ling-Temco-Vought in Dallas and Hawaii as special assistant to the range systems division general manager. Mr. Asche moved to Freeport, Grand Bahamas, where he became chief of U.S. sales for Tamarind Developments LTD. He helped found the Underworld Explorers Club, a scuba divers’ association. He then relocated to Frankfurt, Germany, where he focused on real-estate investments in Europe and the Bahamas. In the late 1960s, he helped found the Sebring 12-hour Grand Prix of Endurance, and went on to form the Association of Motor Racing Officials of America.From the late 1970s onward, he focused much of his professional energies on the Asche Family Interests based in Houston. In 2004, Mr. Asche and his wife, Sarah “Sallie,” donated funds for the completion of a wing at the Center for Brain Health. Part of the University of Texas system, the Sallie and Frederic B. Asche Jr. Advanced Treatment Wing provides intervention for victims of stroke and other forms of brain injury. Mr. Asche was a member of The Mar-a-Lago Club, the Palm Beach Yacht Club and Club Colette, as well as the Safari and Crescent clubs of Dallas. In addition to his wife Sarah of 34 years, Mr. Asche is survived by three sons, Frederic B. Asche III of Ojai, Calif., E. Craig and wife Vivian Asche of Leverett, Mass., and Franz M. and wife Cynthia Asche of Dallas; two daughters, Lisa Asche Mittnacht of Kiawah Island, S.C., and Vale Asche-Elkins and husband Ed Elkins of Dallas; and 10 grandchildren, Stewart Mittnacht III, William Asche, Sanderson Mittnacht, Alexander Asche, Tanner Elkins, Elizabeth Asche, Alexandra Elkins, David Asche, and twins Luke and Zachary Asche; and a sister, Vale Asche Russell of Houston. A sister, Bettyann Asche Murray, predeceased him.