Steve liked an ice cream stand on West Main Street that had only been there for a year. It was 1977, Steve was 28, Sue 26, and their 3 children were 6, 4 and 3 years old. On a shoestring, they got a $5,000 operating loan from the bank and borrowed the rest of the down payment from family. Steve continued with the phone company till 1987, working nights and weekends at the Par-Tee Freeze, while Sue worked days, sometimes with their youngest Todd taking naps on the back room floor.

In 1985, they purchased a second mini golf in the center of downtown Hyannis. In 1988, they purchased the old Treasure Island property just over the Yarmouth line. It was a major renovation project to put ice cream and homemade candy into the building that previously housed a pewter jewelry business. They continued remodeling the Treasure Island Gift Shop and in 1989, at the other end of the parking lot, built Thunder Falls Adventure Golf. The cost for the site work was exorbitant and permitting was gut wrenching but on memorial weekend in 1989, they were determined to be open for the weekend crowds. On Friday afternoon, with much left to get done, the building crew cut out early. The course was left a mess and in various states of disarray, so Jason, their middle child took matters into his own hands and arrived with a cavalry of friends to finish the job and allow permits to be granted. Shortly thereafter Cape Cod Storyland Adventure Golf on Center Street in Hyannis was purchased in bankruptcy. Commercial rentals were also part of that complex.

In December 1989, however, tragedy struck when their 17-year-old son Jason was killed in an auto accident on his way home from his winter job as a bus boy at Sam Diego’s restaurant.

Everyone at Sam’s loved Jay and his hard-working abilities. He had a kind heart and was very giving. Even on that fateful weekend, he packaged up his tips to give to his parents as a gift, as they were going off Cape to meet friends for Sue’s 39th birthday. Dave Surprenant and Bob Kershaw from Sam Diego’s were the first to suggest that a scholarship fund in Jay’s name be started. And so it lives on with the Jason A. Fedele Memorial Scholarship Fund, awarded annually to graduating seniors from across the Cape and Islands who work and will be continuing their education. Jay’s giving spirit lives on with each check written to deserving students who work to help their parents pay for some part of their college expenses, if only for books or their own spending money. Usually between $5,000 – $7,000 is given out each year. Anyone wishing to donate can do so by sending a check to Steve & Sue’s Par-Tee Freeze, 455 West Main Street Hyannis, MA 02601.

Their children have always worked at the businesses from a very young age, Stacey usually at the Par-Tee Freeze and Todd at Cape Cod Storyland, until 2004 when it was sold. Thunder Falls was sold in 2005 and Main Street Mini Golf in 2007. As age crept up, Steve and Sue thought that managing only their original location on West Main Street would be easier.

Stacey is now 44, graduated from UMASS Amherst with a degree in chemical engineering, but came back to work at the business, married John (now CEO of CDS in Bourne), and has 3 children. Two of them, Tristan and Matthew, work at the Par-Tee Freeze and Abby is just starting to train. You’ll see Stacey there most in the daytime.

Todd is 41, married and lives with his wife Molly Lyons (childhood sweethearts since 2nd grade), and their 2 daughters Morgan and Jaye. Morgan too is just starting to train at Par-Tee Freeze. Molly is a teacher with the D-Y school system and Todd is a boat captain, guide and boat mechanic as well as doing most of the trouble shooting on the ice cream machines and pools at the mini golf course.

“So the torch is gradually being passed to a new generation. We have a great family, great employees, and a wonderfully happy business. We’ve loved every minute with all the young adults we’ve worked with and watched grow. Thank you, Cape Cod.”
– Steve & Sue