Frederick N. Alyea ’57

Portrait
Image
Body

Fred died Sept. 22, 2015, surrounded by his family. He was 79.

He was born Oct. 3, 1935, in Glen Ridge, N.J., and grew up in Princeton. Fred prepared at Deerfield Academy and majored in chemistry at Princeton. He earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Stanford in 1962 and took a job in General Electric’s space division as a research scientist three years later, working there until his retirement in 1993.

After retiring, Fred worked as a consultant in chemical and aerospace engineering. He lived in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., for more than 50 years and spent summers in Brant Beach, N.J. Fred was known for his intelligence, humor, and kindness.

He was a member of the Nassau Club in Princeton, the Brant Beach Yacht Club, and Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Fred enjoyed golfing, sailing, reading, cooking, spending time with his family, and traveling.

He is survived by Retha, his wife of 52 years; daughter Sara ’88 and her husband, TJ ’88; and three grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Princeton University at: http://giving.princeton.edu/ways-give/memoriam-giving.

No responses yet

Join the conversation

Plain text

Full name and Princeton affiliation (if applicable) are required for all published comments. For more information, view our commenting policy. Responses are limited to 500 words for online and 250 words for print consideration.

Paw in print

Image
Terri Sewell ’86 at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, stands next to a portrait of civil rights leader John Lewis.
The Latest Issue

November 2026

History is in Terri Sewell ’86’s hands; campus mental health culture; the two Princetons.