Dr. Charles "Fred" Kettleborough

Dr. Charles “Fred” Kettleborough, 87, of College Station, passed away Friday, May 21, 2010 at Esperanza assisted living. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, at Memorial Funeral Chapel College Station. Funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, May 27, at the funeral home. Interment will follow at College Station Cemetery. A reception honoring his life will then be held – location and time to be announced.

Fred was born on October 6, 1922 in Scunthorpe, England to Fred and Rosa Mae (Elsam) Kettleborough. Fred served as a Scientific Officer in the Royal Navy Scientific Service from 1944 to 1946. Following that service, he received a full scholarship and earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sheffield, England in 1950 in the short span of two and one half years. From there, he went on to a long and distinguished career in the field of mechanical engineering. This included serving as Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Auckland, New Zealand from 1957 to 1961, and Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia from 1961 to 1965. Fred joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University as a fully-tenured Distinguished Professor in 1965 where he served in that capacity until his retirement in 2003. He remained active in research and service as Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the department for several years following his retirement.

Fred was and is internationally recognized in his field with hundreds of publications, books, book chapters, and presentations dealing with heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and lubrication technology. He was an early pioneer in the field of solar energy. He was an excellent teacher and mentor to the hundreds, if not thousands, of undergraduate and graduate students he came in contact with during his career. Many of his students went on to very successful careers of their own and remained in contact as close friends for the balance of his lifetime. He was universally loved by both his peers and students not just for his knowledge, but also for his kindness, patience, friendliness, humor, and gentle demeanor – God-given traits that also bestowed love on his family as a husband, father, and grandfather.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wife of 47 years, Ruth Kettleborough; 3 brothers; and son, Ian David Kettleborough.

Survivors include his loving fiancé, Nell Dickens of College Station; daughters, Elaine and husband Tom Powdrill, Annette and husband Raymond Naylor, both of College Station; brother, Arnold Kettleborough of Scunthorpe, England; grandchildren, Daniel Powdrill, and David Powdrill, both of College Station, and Emily Powdrill of Waco; Brooke and husband Robert Cortez, Brittany Hanagriff, and Holly Naylor, all of College Station; step-grandchildren, Loren Naylor of College Station, Jennifer and husband J.D. Selby of Spring; 3 great grandchildren, Kaylee, Camryn, and Jacob Cortez all of College Station. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Teen Scholarship Fund with the Circle Squares at P.O. Box 594 College Station, Texas 77841