Guy Fraiture

AUGUST 12, 1939 – DECEMBER 13, 2022

Guy M. Fraiture, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, surrounded by his wife and children. He was eighty-three.

Guy was born on August 12, 1939, in Verviers, Belgium, on the outskirts of Liege. He was the third of four active sons. At an early age, Guy developed a love for the game of soccer, first playing in a local club called A.S. Herstal, while attending the École Technique Provinciale. After graduation, he worked in a factory, manufacturing airplane parts for NATO military aircraft. In 1957, Guy’s outstanding play on the Herstal team earned him a spot on the Under-23 Belgian National Team.

Several years later, in 1962, Guy made a fateful decision to visit his Aunt Gabby in Maryland for two weeks; he never returned to live permanently in Belgium. Guy received a soccer scholarship from the University of Maryland, where he was the lead scorer one year. He captained his team to an ACC Championship and earned All American and All South Team Honors. At Maryland, Guy led the 1965 UMD College Park soccer team in assists on their way to winning the 1966 men's national title. His success on the field at Maryland led him to a professional soccer career with the Washington Darts, and later, to a 20-year side career as a referee for the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, Patriot League, Big East Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference. He was nominated by the United States Soccer Federation as one of a handful of referees eligible to officiate international matches.

Most importantly, in 1964, Guy met his future wife, Louise, who was visiting Washington, D.C. from Scotland with her best friends. Guy and Louise fell in love and they married in 1966, starting a family and settling permanently in Maryland. They taught their children, Nadine, Christian, and Sacha, the value of hard work and a love for travel, often visiting extended family overseas in Belgium and Scotland. Christian and Sacha followed in their dad’s footsteps by playing competitive soccer. They were fortunate to spend many hours learning from their dad, who was their favorite coach and most trusted mentor.

Guy’s soccer legacy continued in 1977, when he arrived at Georgetown Prep, and led the Little Hoyas varsity soccer team to an Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) title in his first year at the helm. Among his accomplishments over his 36 seasons as coach, Guy led the Prep team to over 360 victories, with more than 10 IAC championships and the most wins in the school’s history. While his soccer accomplishments were impressive, former players remember him most for how he impacted them off the field. His coaching was not confined to the team at Prep; he also coached three boys’ club teams from Bethesda Soccer Club and two girls’ club teams from Bethesda and Potomac Soccer Clubs. His club coaching accolades were just as expansive; his teams won more than six Maryland State Cup titles, four regional titles, and one National title, and he was named the Maryland Coach of the Year in 1986. Somehow, between his Prep and club coaching, he found time to direct soccer camps for 28 years, positively impacting many youth soccer players. Guy was fortunate and proud to be nominated by his friend Pelé to serve as the soccer ambassador for Belgium at the 1994 World Cup.

While Guy was best known for his contributions to the soccer world and for his coaching acumen and accomplishments, he had many other wonderful qualities and interests. Guy had a lifelong zest for learning, and he loved teaching and mentoring, especially during his long career as a modern language teacher at Georgetown Prep. He loved giving back to the community. One of his major contributions was volunteering as a translator at the Mercy Health Clinic in Potomac, MD, an organization that serves patients struggling with poverty and lack of access to healthcare. Translating was near and dear to his heart, as he never forgot his early days in the United States when he was just learning English. Guy was also passionate about travelling, art, and music. His artwork can be found hanging on the walls in his children’s and grandchildren’s homes. Over the past few years, one could often find Guy coloring or sketching contentedly, while listening to music on his red radio. Guy always had a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face, and a warm, gentle, and humorous way of interacting with people around him, endearing him to family, friends, and his many caregivers.

Guy is survived by his wife of almost 56 years, Louise (né Breckenridge), their children, Nadine (Kevin) Paley, Christian (Jen) Fraiture, and Sacha (Tara) Fraiture, their grandchildren Jake (Cori) Fraiture, Jessica (Garrett) Cable, Tyler Fraiture, Sam Paley, Mia Fraiture, Emma Paley, Zoe Fraiture, and Remi Fraiture, step-grandchildren Olivia and Elena Ziegler, and great-grandchildren Jocelyn, Jet, and Jax Fraiture. Guy was pre-deceased by his parents and his brothers José, Roland, and André. Guy maintained a close relationship with their families, all of whom still reside in Belgium.