Frederick Winslow Whitridge

Frederick "Fred" Winslow Whitridge died on October 5, 2024 at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Anne nee Taliaferro and his daughters Tina C. Whitridge and Lisa R. Whitridge, grandson Kaleb Paiker and nephew William C. Whitridge, Jr. Predeceased in death by his daughter Anne W. "Wendy" Whitridge and his brother William C. Whitridge, Sr.

Fred graduated from Gilman School and the University of Virginia where he joined the swimming and lacrosse teams and went to work for the Cavalier Daily. "These and other experiences at Virginia gave him a quiet confidence, an assurance that one person's actions can yield remarkable results - a trait that defined his approach to life".

Following UVA, he served in the Army Counterintelligence Corps as Second Lieutenant and absorbed his love for history in his weekend travels to battlefields. "Seeing all these places, and knowing the history behind these events, made me think about the choices people make and the consequences of those choices. It gave me perspective."

Returning to civilian life, he returned to Baltimore and worked for Glenn L. Martin (Lockhead Martin) before purchasing Bacharach Rasin, a hub for sporting goods and the center of the universe for lacrosse players. It was at this time he met Steve Stenersen, then President and CEO of USA Lacrosse. Steve spoke of Fred as being "intimidating in size and demeanor, coming across as stoic until you got to know him". He was an incredibly kind soul and a man of few words but when he spoke, it was meaningful. He had a deep passion for the sport of lacrosse and gave back through Bacharach Rasin. He was an institution in the sport's history throughout the era."

After selling the company, he left the business but not lacrosse. In 1991, he co-founded and chaired the Baltimore City Middle School Lacrosse League. For 12 years, he grew the membership from six schools to 17 and raised $450,000 to endow the program. In recognition of his dedication, he was awarded the "Man of the Year" award in 1998 from the United States Interscholastic Lacrosse Association. In 2001, he received the Heroes Award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Fred served on the board of Gilman School and joined the Garrison Forest School board in 1974 eventually being named a trustee emeritus in 2001. Fred served as board chair from 1976-1981. "Through our work together on the Garrison Forest School trustees, I admired Fred's deep curiosity, his warmhearted caring and the depth of his kindness. With a keen, analytic mind, his judgement was sound and his leadership reflected his incredible grace and honor" says Molly Hathaway who worked closely with Fred and became an ally in their commitment to the school's success. A loyal alumnus of UVA, he served two terms as President of the Maryland Chapter of the UVA Alumni Board and as a member of the Jefferson Scholars Selection Committee. The Jefferson Scholarship program was important to him and his brother establishing the St. Elmo Scholarship. Following his brother's death in 1988, he joined forces with his nephew to create a lasting memorial for his brother with a second scholarship. When asked by his wife "why don't you do something for yourself? You're always doing something for someone else.' I don't have a problem with that," he said.

Interment private, please omit flowers. Memorials in his name may be made to Gilchrist Hospice at 11311 McCormick Road Suite 350 Hunt Valley, MD 21031 or ROCA, Inc. at 880 Park Avenue Baltimore, MD 21201.