Frederick J. Bostick

Fred followed his father’s and big brother Bill’s footsteps and joined the Army right out of high school. He discovered he had an aptitude for electronics and rose up the ranks to become a Radar Equipment Foreman. He was due to deploy to Vietnam, so his brother Bill volunteered to take his place. Fortunately, Fred got orders for Germany instead. He made the most of that assignment, hopping on trains, traveling all over Europe on his time off. After his tour, he majored in Electrical Engineering at UTEP, while also taking electronics courses at De Vry University. With his military hands-on experience and EE degree, he was hired by White Sands Missile Range, working on an Enemy Defense Testing Program. Even though there were short breaks in tenure with jobs in Pennsylvania and San Jose, his travels brought him back to his career at White Sands. He worked in Range Operations testing missile performance and training allied personnel until he retired in 2011.

While Fred’s accomplishments were left-brain serious and highly classified, we remember the man of mirth and spirit! Fred was smart, witty, kindhearted, authentic, a real gentleman. Fred was a warm soul that carried his heart on his sleeve. He was kind and thoughtful. His patience and calmness were proof of his motto, "Don't sweat the small stuff." Fred had a cheerful, sunny disposition that would brighten the room when he came in. He made all new comers welcome, making an effort to include them in the chatter. Fred’s good humor and laughter were contagious. Fred was honest, genuine, well respected by all. Fred was so intelligent he could have a conversation on any topic. He could dismantle and rebuild toys to appliances. He learned to fix air cooling systems so he could help his mom and brother. He tackled major renovation DIY projects at home; rewiring, retiling, and painting. Fred’s creative side included cooking and baking. He baked huge cookies-almost the size of bunuelos! His sweet potato casserole was a favorite at parties. One Thanksgiving he surprised grandma and grandpa by making everything in the feast from scratch, even the cornbread. His brother still makes Fred’s famous turkey dressing recipe. Fred and Michael teamed up on the toughest task of kneading the masa when we made tamales with grandma.

What Fred valued most was sharing special moments with family and friends.

Fred’s excitement and enthusiasm at becoming a papa was only doubled by his grandpahood. He was totally committed and involved in Leslie’s life at home or school. Leslie’s friends felt like they had a second dad with Fred. He was very generous. He was the cool dad who took them to movies, the mall, out to eat, and splurged on concert tickets for the bunch. In college, Fred was the wizard that helped Leslie with Math and programmed formulas in her calculator. Leslie learned a lot from dad, and scored an “A” in the course!

Grandpa Fred passed his love for books by reading to his grandkids. He would treat Robin and Lily to fun excursions after school--ice-cream, donuts, and Luby’s oh my! Robin was especially fond of the sweet tea from grandpa, and Lily’s favorites were pizza and pretzels. Grandpa Fred was totally engaged in Robin and Lily’s day to day and special events. He was there for karate practices, sports, games, and award celebrations.

Wherever they were at on the map, there was always time for a family adventure. There were road trips to Disneyland, Sea World, Disney World, and Universal Studios. Family gatherings and celebrations were high on the list of must do’s. He could be counted on to play a hand of UNO, bingo, or battle a piñata. Fred would spend hours talking and reminiscing with his brother Bill on monthly breakfasts. He was the cool uncle, along with cool auntie Linda, who chaperoned their niece, Patsy’s Hueco Tanks Explorer Teen Club outing. Fred not only decorated his car as the wedding limo but also chauffeured niece Patsy and Michael all day from the Church, to the reception, to the dance.

Then there’s the unforgettable story when Fred met Linda…

While at UTEP, Fred had two close friends that shared his sense of humor and passion for electronics. They were three wild and crazy engineering students! Linda was majoring in Education and Counseling at UTEP. She also had a best friend in the same college. Her interest in Math led her to two Calculus courses and the infamous Differential Equations class. That’s when Fred met Linda. He was charming and funny. Their circle of five became such good friends. They would stay up all night studying for tests at the library or Denny’s. But the study halls turned out to be laugh-ins. Who would have guessed Math could be so much fun! Their love story lasted 46 years.

Fred will be missed, but we will always remember Fred’s bodacious humor, free spirit and big heart.

Fred is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Leslie (Jason), brother Bill (Gylene), and grandchildren Robin and Lily. He is preceded in death by his parents. Fred will receive full military honors at his place of rest, Ft. Bliss National Cemetery, on May 27, 2021. We encourage family and friends to view the Tribute Movie, leave a message, and share a memory on this site.