Frederick Brutschy

August 8, 1920 - December 7, 2011

Fred Brutschy, a retired chemist, was born in New York City in 1920 and grew up in White Plains, New York. After attending local schools, he accepted a scholarship to Dartmouth College and graduated in 1942 with a degree in chemistry. While there, he was active in the outing club and was President of the Debating Society. Then he entered Harvard University and received his doctorate in organic chemistry in 1946. Soon thereafter, he accepted a post-doctorate fellowship at the University of Wisconsin to do further research in organic chemistry. Then he joined the research labs of Standard Oil of California (now Chevron Corp) in Richmond, California to work on developing new petro-chemical raw materials for the textile industry.

In 1951, he changed fields and went with what later became the Livermore Laboratory, working on nuclear research projects. In 1955, he joined the General Electric Company in its effort to build the first private nuclear power station in the United States at Joliet, Illinois. The Dresden Nuclear Power Station started operations in 1959. In the next twenty years, he helped the nuclear power industry grow by working to design and develop better plants. He worked on the actual startups and testing of over 28 power stations around the world. He was a pioneer in using radiochemical techniques to assure proper plant performance, confirm that the plant chemistry was correct and test for and locate imperfect fuel. He retired in 1974 and moved to Carmel in 2005.

In 1946, he married Virginia Skiff of Palo Alto, California and has 2 sons, Mason and Lance, and 3 grandchildren, Carter, Lacey and Evan. In earlier years, he was an ardent skier and also loved sailing his boat on San Francisco Bay.

At his request, no services will be held. Donations may be sent to: Community Hospital Foundation P.O. Box HH, Monterey, CA 93942 or Dartmouth College Fund, 6066 Development Office, Hanover, NH 03755

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Arrangements under the direction of The Paul Mortuary, Pacific Grove, CA.