Frederic David Childs

Frederic D. Childs passed from this world at the age of 76 and entered the Kingdom of God on Monday, December 30, 2024. Fred was born October 30, 1948, in the small southeastern rural Appalachian town of Manchester, Clay County, Kentucky to William Selbert Childs (1914-1976) of Bagdad, KY and Billie Lee Wilburn Childs (1923-1993) of Mineola, KS.

He graduated from Stephen Watts Kearny Senior High School, San Diego, CA in 1966 and later in 1970 from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish Literature. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Houston, 1977, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Kansas, 1980.

A proud Vietnam War-era veteran, he honorably served his country as First Lieutenant and Tank Officer from 1971-1975. His distinguished service included assignments with the 1st and 3rd Tank Battalions, with duty stations spanning the Marine Corps Development and Education Command in Quantico, Virginia; the First Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California; and the Naval Weapons Station in Concord, California. His overseas service took him to the Far East, where he served with the Third Marine Division at Camp Hansen on the island of Okinawa, Japan and at Camp Fuji near Mount Fuji, Japan.

After completing his military service, Fred, with his wife and young family, moved to Houston, TX to live. Fred worked most of his life in the public sector, first as Public Works Director of the City of Bellaire, and later as a Senior Project Manager within the General Mobility Division of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, where he worked from 1986 to 2014, when he retired. He pursued his love of education and enjoyed teaching Spanish language classes part-time at Houston Community College. Fred was also a great lover of travel and traveled all over the world with his wife, Ilda, by his side.

Fred was happily married for fifty-three wonderful years to the former Ilda J. Rojas, his surviving wife, whom he married in 1971 in Mexico City, Mexico. He truly believed her to be the Wind beneath his Wings and the Inspiration who led him to all of life’s beauties and joys. Two other endearing and heartfelt treasures who filled his soul with immense pride and happiness are his surviving son,

Mario Childs of Klein, TX, and his daughter, Gianina Dixon of Houston, TX. Other surviving family members include Mario’s wife Allison Ford, Gianina’s husband Duane Dixon; grandsons Angus Childs, Ian Childs and Ben Dixon. Fred’s two older brothers and one younger sister, and their spouses and children: William Clemens Childs and his wife Virginia of Christmas Bay, OR; Rodger Franklin Childs and his wife Elizabeth of Bandera, TX; and Laura Leigh Childs and her husband Brad Martisius of Denver, CO. Fred is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces, as well as many cousins in the Kentucky and Indiana area.