Frederic S. Nyland

1929 - 2020

Frederic S. Nyland, a mathematician specializing in operational research and policy and an avid skier, died on May 14, 2020, surrounded by family. He was 91 years old and lived in Golden.
Fred spent most of his career at the Rand Corp. in Washington D.C. and Santa Monica, Calif., and Lockheed Martin in Denver. After he retired, he served as a special consultant with the U.S. Army Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the U.S. State Department in Washington D.C.
Fred graduated from the University of Colorado in 1950, majoring in mathematics and chemistry. His graduate studies were in mathematics at the University of Denver. He was a member of the Military Operations Research Society, the Arms Control Association and the Center for Defense Information and the Foothills World Affairs Council.
Fred was born in 1929 in Boulder. He served in the U.S. Army, first as a sergeant and later as a 1st lieutenant during the Korean Conflict. He traveled extensively and spent time in Japan participating in early research involving rockets used for launching satellites.
He lived with his family in Malibu, Calif., and Annapolis, Md., for many years. His first marriage ended in divorce, after which he settled in Idaho Springs with his second wife. They eventually retired in Golden.
Fred was an avid skier and outdoorsman his entire life. He was a professional ski patroller in the 1940s at Aspen and Sun Valley, Idaho. While his skiing was interrupted by the Korean Conflict, he was a founding member of the El Paso Ski Club in the 1950s and served as a director at-large for the Southern Rocky Mountain Ski Association.
Fred participated in competitive skiing for the University of Colorado Buffalo Ski Club, the Aspen Ski Club and the Sun Valley Ski Club in the 1940s. His last major ski competition was the National Slalom Championship at Sugar Bowl, Calif., in 1950.
He resumed his competitive skiing activities in the 1990s with the Rocky Mountain Masters Ski Racing Series. In 2001, at the age of 72, he was the National Open Champion in NASTAR for his age group.
Along with others, he was a founding member of what is now the SkiMeisters, a ski club with many activities for senior citizens. He organized and led its cross-country skiing program for many years. An image of him skiing as a teenager was featured on the Colorado license plate in 1958.
Fred was predeceased by Colleen Nyland (nee Kelly), his wife of 32 years, in early 2020. He is survived by his former wife, Gretchen Nyland (nee Gilbert) of Arnold, Md., eight children, four stepchildren, 16 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
His children are Kimberly Balageas of Arnold, Md.; Dr. Lars Nyland of Carrboro, N.C.; Dr. Cari Nyland of Corbett, Ore.; Heidi Nyland of Manchester, Md.; Holly Frisch of Upperco, Md.; Gil Nyland of Baltimore, Md.; Guy Nyland of Arnold, Md.; and Peter Nyland of Baltimore, Md.. His stepchildren are Mary Jane Loevlie of Idaho Springs; Judy Palmer of Fairbanks, Alaska; Graig Gilbertson of Bemidji, Minn.; and BK Gilbertson of Seattle, Wash.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Professor Waino S. Nyland and Irene L. Nyland of Boulder.
A private memorial will be held at a future date. His remains will be interred at the Fort Logan Korean War Veterans Cemetery in South Denver.
Fred's wishes included that no flowers be sent to the cemetery. He requested that contributions in his memory be made to the University of Colorado in Boulder on its website: https://giving.cu.edu/fund/college-arts-and-sciences-deans-annual-fund. Please enter his name in the "In Memory of" box.