By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Fred William Lansdowne Jr.
Fred Lansdowne 2

Fred William Lansdowne Jr., 90, of Oakdale died Thursday, May 31 at Alexander Cohen Hospice House, Hughson.

He was born in Sacramento on April 27, 1922 to Violet and Fred William Lansdowne Sr. He attended schools in Rio Vista and Vallejo. After school he joined the National Guard and worked at the Mare Island Shipyard as a rigger. He joined the Navy in 1941 and spent four years aboard the carrier USS Saratoga until his medical discharge in 1945.

He met his wife Frieda Bender, a Corps Wave stationed at Mare Island Navy Hospital where he was a patient. They were married at St. Peter’s Chapel on Mare Island on March 19, 1945.

Mr. Lansdowne worked for the Post Office in Lodi. He joined the Independent Order Of Odd Fellows in Lodi in 1946.

In later years he became a District Deputy Grand Master a couple of times and Grand Inside Sentinel of the Encampment.

The family moved to Cupertino where he worked as a rigger at Westinghouse, Sunnyvale before finding his life work in construction. The family then moved to Santa Clara where he and his son joined the Boy Scouts of America.

He became a scout master and a commissioner. He worked as a maintenance engineer at IOOF Home in Saratoga before retiring in 1983.

Fishing was what he looked forward to whenever time allowed. After retiring and moving to Oakdale he and his wife bought an RV and traveled to every state, Canada and Mexico five times.

On one special trip to Alaska, he caught the fish he was most proud of, a 150-pound halibut. He was active in Oakdale IOOF lodge work.

He was also wagon master of the Three Links Travel Club for 31 years.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Frieda; son Calvin (Colleen) Lansdowne of Rigby, ID, daughter Diane (Wayne) Major of Livermore; grandson Michael and great grandson Kellen of Phoenix, AZ; and brother Larry (Nita) Lansdowne of Hallettsville, TX.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Ruth and brothers Rex and Don.

Interment will be at San Joaquin National Cemetery, Santa Nella, at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 15.

Memorial service will be Saturday, June 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the IOOF Hall, Knights Ferry.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Alexander Cohen Hospice House, Hughson, CA.