Frederick Bender Jr.

Frederick "Fred' Bender Jr.

Frederick "Fred' Bender, 66, formerly of Fond du Lac, and a resident of Huntsville, Alabama for over 35 years, died September 25, 2013, as the result of an automobile accident. He was born June 16, 1947, in Fond du Lac, the son of Fred and Lorraine Albertz Bender, Sr. He was a 1965 graduate of Winnebago Lutheran Academy. Fred was a veteran of the US Navy serving from September 13, 1967 to September 16, 1969. On August 21, 1971 he married Kathleen Summers in Fond du Lac at St. Peter's Lutheran Church. She preceded him in death on January 19, 2009. After service he attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh summa cum laude with degrees in Mathematics and Physics. He later received his PhD in Astrophyics from the Iowa State University of Science and Technololgy in Ames, Iowa. Moving to Huntsville, he pursued his career involved in research for the Strategic Defense Inititive commonly known as "Star Wars." Fred's other passion was music and he loved performing with the Rocket City Chorus, an organization dedicated to barbershop harmony. Even though he lived most of his adult life in Alabama, he remained a loyal Brewers fan.

Surviving are two sons, Brian Bender of Huntsville, AL, and Steven Bender of San Francisco, his mother, Lorraine F. Bender of Fond du Lac, a sister, Janice Stoffregan of Las Vegas, and two brothers, Herman and Mark Bender, both of Fond du Lac. He is further survived by two nephews, Shane Stoffregan of Las Vegas, and Nathan Bender of Oshkosh, a niece, Sarah Bender of Oshkosh, and his fiancé, Sharon August of Birmingham, AL. He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents, his father, wife, and a sister-in-law, Barbara Bender.

Fred's family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 4 PM at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home on Saturday, November 30, 2013. A Celebration of Life and Time of Remembrance will be at 4 PM at the funeral home Saturday. Cremation has taken place. A memorial has been established in Fred's name. Burial of cremated remains will be in Ledgeview Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date. Additional information and guest book may be found at www.ueckerwitt.com