Frederick Carl "Fred" Himes

Frederick Carl Himes ("Fred") was born on November 13, 1936 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania to Carl and Catherine Himes. Fred spent his younger years in Charleston, West Virginia. He graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in Charleston in 1954. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Cincinnati where he majored in Chemical Engineering. He met the love of his life, Janet Louise Graham, while at UC in the Fall of 1955. The two eventually married on December 29, 1956 while they were in college. Fred was in a co-op program at UC where he went to school for 6 weeks then worked for Union Carbide in Charleston for 6 weeks. Janet moved to Charleston during this time and also worked at Union Carbide. She would stay in Charleston while Fred went back to Cincinnati for school. In the midst of work and college, they had their first child, Deborah Louise. Fred later graduated from UC in May of 1959.

After college, Fred started his career with Monsanto in Dayton, Ohio. After a brief stay in Ohio, they transferred to the Monsanto refinery in Texas City, Texas in 1960. They had their second child, Stephen Frederick, and two months later survived their first hurricane (Hurricane Carla). Damage from the storm resulted in them moving to Alvin, Texas. He then worked at Monsanto's Chocolate Bayou plant near Alvin. Their third and fourth children, Jeffrey Carl and Julie Ann, were born while in Alvin.

The family was transferred again in 1969, this time to St. Louis, Missouri where Fred worked at Monsanto's corporate headquarters. This stay lasted for two years then the family headed back to Texas in 1971 where Fred once again worked at the Monsanto Chocolate Bayou plant. The family settled in Clear Lake where they remain today. He spent several years in the early 80s as a lobbyist for Monsanto traveling to Austin and Washington DC to visit state and national congressmen. After Monsanto, Fred worked for Waste Management and Fluor Daniel in Houston.

Fred finally decided to retire from the working world in 1998. Post-work, he spent his time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity where he was instrumental in the construction of numerous houses in the Houston area. He also enjoyed attending events to watch his grandchildren perform in football, soccer, baseball, volleyball and dance. He had a very analytical sense of humor and developed a fine taste for wine and queso!

Fred is survived by his wife of 68 years, Janet, and their four children – Debbie Beamer and her husband, Ed; Steve and his wife, Gena; Jeff; and Julie Wilcox and her husband, Steve; seven grandchildren – Taylor Beamer and his wife, Melanie; Erin Himes Cook and her husband, Sean; Matt Beamer; Ross Himes; Abbey Wilcox Wayman and her husband, Brandon; Claire Himes Killough and her husband, Andrew; and Emily Wilcox; two great grandchildren – James Taylor Beamer and Andrew Carter Killough with a third great grandchild expected in November (Abbey and Brandon); and a sister, Carleen Shinn, in Beebe, Arkansas.