Frederic C. Blanc

Frederic “Fred” Carl Blanc passed away on Friday, February 5th, 2021 in Punta Gorda, Florida after a rapid decline in health, at age 81.

Fred was born in June 21, 1939, in New York City. He lived in the Bronx, and attended Brooklyn Technical High School. He received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The City College of New York in 1962. That same year, he was commissioned in the US Public Health Service (USPHS) where he worked on the first water pollution control investigation of the Detroit River and waters of Lake Erie. In 1963 he married his high school sweetheart Ursula and they were about to celebrate their 35th anniversary before her passing in 2008. In August, 1964, he left USPHS active duty as a Lieutenant with Navy Rank for the position with the Civil Engineering Department as a full time lecturer in Civil/Sanitary Engineering. From 1965 to 1969 he was a full time graduate student on a USPHS fellowship at New York University, earning his Master of Science in Civil Engineering and PhD degrees. In August of 1969, he joined the Civil Engineering Department faculty of Northeastern University, in Boston, Massachusetts where he was a professor, and conducted research in environmental engineering. Fred retired from Northeastern University in 1999 around the time his two children were graduation from Northeastern University. During that time, he was active in professional societies as well.

He was a licensed professional engineer in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. He also served as a consultant to several engineering firms and industrial clients in the New England area. For 24 years he held elected office as Water Commissioner and a Board of Health member in the town of Harvard, Massachusetts.

Fred lived in Harvard, Massachusetts for almost 30 years. He bought a home in Punta Gorda, Florida in 2001 and spent time in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire during the summers. He loved to travel and took his family on vacations often.

Fred was a self-taught musician and played the banjo in a band in Punta Gorda called the Four Leaf Strummers. He also enjoyed painting, fishing, writing songs, spending time with his family and grandchildren and reading for leisure.

Fred was preceded in death by his wife, Ursula Blanc in 2008. Fred is survived by his two children, Heidi Green and Paul Blanc of New Hampshire, his two grandchildren, Nina and Giovanni, and his longtime girlfriend, also known as his “quasi wife”, Patricia Miller, of Cape Coral Florida.  He was a dedicated father, husband and friend.

Per Fred’s request, we will hold a small memorial service later this year in Harvard, Massachusetts.