Bruce Keator Fredericks, 88, of Colts Neck, passed away on August 10, 2018 in Gambrills, Maryland. Bruce was born in Upper Montclair, NJ on December 10, 1929 and was the son of the late George Jacob Fredericks and Ruth Scudder Keator Fredericks. When Bruce was 10, he moved to Colts Neck with his family in 1940 where he grew up on Wide Horizons Farm. He married Phyllis Jane Kellogg in June 1962. They had two children, Dawn Fredericks (1968) and David Fredericks (1970) and were married for 32 years before divorcing in 1994. He married Amy Page Giinther in August 1999 and they were married for 17 years before she passed away on July 5, 2018.
Bruce attended Red Bank Regional High School and later graduated from Principia Upper School in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. After college, Bruce served as a navigator in the Air Force from 1953 to 1956. During this time he participated in the laying of the DEW (Early Defense Warning) Line and later served in the Air Force Reserves. His time in the Air Force birthed a lifelong love of flying, and Bruce went on to earn his private pilot’s license. He was a longtime active member of the Jersey Aero Club in Monmouth County.
Bruce left the Air Force to serve as President of Keator Properties Inc., his family’s commercial real estate management business in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Bruce was an accomplished pianist and organist. He served as substitute organist for the First Church of Christ, Scientist Red Bank where he was also a member for many years, and performed with his wife, Amy at many local venues. He was also an avid singer and member of the Arcadian Chorale and previously the Monmouth Civic Chorus.
Bruce is survived by his son David Keator Fredericks of New York City, and his daughter, Dawn Kellogg Fredericks Graves, her husband and his grandson Kieran Graves of Gambrills, Maryland.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 14 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Church of Christ Scientist, 211 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bruce's memory to any of these charities: First Church of Christ Scientist, 211 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701; Arcadian Chorale, PO Box 806, Matawan, NJ 07747; or Rescue Ridge Dog & Cat Shelter, PO Box 223, Spring Lake, NJ 07762.
