Frederic Alan Friedland

Frederic Alan Friedland was born in Santa Monica, California in 1945 to Harold K. Friedland and Bertha Selz of New York. As small children, Fred and his sister, Bonnie, lost their mother to cancer. When his father remarried, they gained a step-sister, Susie, and the whole family moved to open land in northern San Diego County, an environment that would shape Fred’s lifelong love for the outdoors.

At age 22, Fred joined the Navy and served in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. After the military, he started delving into his passions for music, theater, homesteading, and carpentry. He earned two graduate degrees from Humboldt State – a Masters in Set Design and an MFA in Directing.

Fred was best known for his 26 years of teaching drama at Merced College. He won awards for his teaching and received praise from students who were deeply impacted by his mentorship, counsel, and care. Fred completely immersed himself in the production of his plays and his creative spirit led him to write his own.

In the summer of 1982, Fred accompanied his sister and her family on a trip to Europe, where, on a brief stop in Orleans, France, he met Bonnie’s widowed friend, Kerstin, and found the love of his life. The following year she moved to Merced with her three children, Karin, Mikael, and Cédric. They soon married and had a daughter, Anna.

Both Fred and Kerstin’s lives would take a dramatic turn after Kerstin’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 1992, which ultimately confined her to a wheelchair. Throughout her long illness, Fred was her constant companion and an unwavering and heroic caregiver who saved her life dozens of times. Their love was unparalleled and inspiring to all.

On May 25, Kerstin passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. Three days after losing Kerstin and one day after his 80th birthday, Fred unexpectedly passed away. He is survived by his daughter, Anna Friedland (Moose Mutlow) and his stepchildren, Karin Latreille, Mikael Latreille, Cédric Latreille (Betsy Musick), and his grandson Mattias, as well as his sisters Susan Fye and Bonnie Cediel.