Frederic Rockefeller Sr

Frederic Lincoln Rockefeller, 96, passed away peacefully at his home at Bay Pond, NY, surrounded by family on June 7.

He was the beloved husband of June Rockefeller, who predeceased him by just five days, and with whom he shared 70 years of marriage. Fred was “Dad” to eight children: June Maugery (Bernard) of Assy, France; Cynthia Thompson (Jeff) of Mechanicsburg, PA; Elsie Wright (John) of Barrington, RI; Frederic L. Rockefeller, Jr. (Nancy) of Barrington, RI; Elizabeth Rockefeller of Warren, RI; Deborah Roddy (Martin) of Bloomingdale, NY; Shirley Salach (Andrew) of Northwood, NH; and Lien Tieu Fleming (Ted) of Shirley, MA. He was “Grampa” to 19 grandchildren and “Grandpop” to 10 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by all his siblings: William Rockefeller, Elsie Rockefeller MacMillin, Florence Sloan DeVecchi and Anne Sloan Morrison.

Fred was born July 12, 1921 in New York to Florence Lincoln and William A. Rockefeller. George Sloan was his beloved stepfather.

Fred graduated from St. Paul’s School, in Concord, NH with the class of 1940 and entered Yale University. When WWII broke out, he took private flying lessons and then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a fighter pilot (F4U Corsair) in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to Yale and graduated in 1947.

He and June (Janet Buffinton) were married in Greenwich, CT, on September 6, 1947. They lived in Iowa, then Auburndale, MA, then Westfield, MA for 18 years, then Barrington, RI and Warren, RI for 30 years before moving to Bay Pond for their last 10 years.

Frederic worked for the International Harvester Company from 1947 until he joined the Cranston Print Works Company in 1965. A leader at CPW until 2000, he served in a series of capacities, including Vice President, President and Chairman of the Board. His career and its impact and meaning to the Cranston Print Works Company and its employees were extraordinary and marked by warmth and concern for people. This was most tangibly demonstrated when, in 1987, he engineered the purchase of 97% of the stock of the Company into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan for the benefit of its employees. Upon his retirement from the Board of Directors, the following was written of him, which also applies to his leadership of other boards on which he served and his large extended family.

When courage was needed, he provided the determination.

When expediency created temptation, he insisted on the proper course.

When efforts did not seem to provide immediate results, he provided patience.

When seemingly insurmountable difficulties arose, he helped to see through the complexities to the successful path.

He listened, and he was heard.

Fred loved the outdoors, particularly the Adirondacks, and spent the last ten years of his life full-time at Bay Pond, enjoying his family and daily excursions in “the woods” and on the water.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A funeral service for both Fred and June will be held Sunday, June 10, at 2:00 p.m. at the Church of St. Luke, 136 Main Street in Saranac Lake, NY, followed by a reception in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Adirondack Arc children’s services, 12 Mohawk Street, Tupper Lake, NY 12986, St. John’s in the Wilderness, Easy St., Paul Smiths, NY 12970, or a charity of your choice.