Fred Thomas Stetson, Jr.

Fred Thomas Stetson, Jr. passed away at home in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on November 8, 2022, after a sudden illness. He was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on September 22, 1940, the third of six children of Fred T. Stetson, Sr. and Emily Grace (Perkins) Stetson.

A 1958 graduate of Brockton High School, Fred attended the University of Massachusetts where he earned a bachelor of science in chemical engineering in 1962. He began his career at General Electric Company, and while working at GE’s Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in upstate New York, he earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1964. He married Kathleen McGinis in 1967 and they relocated to the Washington, DC area with their three children in 1975. A specialist in nuclear power plant licensing and safety, Fred worked at the Atomic Industrial Forum, NUS Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation, and Parallax before retiring in 2005.

A proud tenth-generation son of Massachusetts, Fred was a lifelong supporter of the Stetson Kindred of America, which traces the family’s lineage to the colonial era. His childhood in New England fostered an enduring love of the outdoors; he was an avid trout fisherman and a longtime leader in Boy Scout Troop 447 in Rockville, Maryland. His first marriage ended in divorce and he married Caitilin (Sturmfels) (Gordon) in November 2000. Together Fred and Caitilin shared many years of ballroom dancing at the Arthur Murray studio in Gaithersburg and courses at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She humored his fanatical support of Duke men’s basketball.

Fred will be remembered for the scientific discipline in his thinking, for his singular wit, and for the steadfast pursuit of interests that ranged widely – from politics to the arts to the books of John McPhee. His abiding curiosity enriched the lives of his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Caitilin; his brothers Charles (Darleen) of Carolina Shores, NC and Robert (Concepcion) of Brockton, MA; his three children, Cate (John Faust) of Bethesda, MD, Dave of New York, NY, and Dan (Elizabeth Prescott) of Seattle, WA; three grandchildren; and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. His sisters Lois and Ruth and brother Jack predeceased him. A family remembrance will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Sierra Club.