Frederick O. Dutton III

Frederick O. Dutton, III, 84, of Chestertown died at Chester River Hospital on February 9, 2008. He was born in Roanoke, VA the son of the late, Ethel Puckett and Frederick O. Dutton, Jr. His early years were spent in Roanoke, Charleston, WVA, and Maplewood, NJ. He graduated from Columbia High School, Maplewood, NJ and from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY in 1944 as a licensed Marine Engineer. At that time he was also commissioned an ensign in the Maritime Service and the US Naval Reserve. He sailed the North and South Atlantic and the Pacific until WWII was over. He served on one of the first ships to enter Nagasaki after the atom bomb was dropped. He remained in the Merchant Marine until 1948 and was an active member of the USMMA Alumni Association. He was employed by Babcock & Wilcox in their Marine Engineering Department and then by the Garlock Packing Co. where in the early 1950''s he was instrumental in the development of Teflon insulated flexible circuitry. In 1967 he started Chemelec Products, Inc. manufacturers of Teflon electric hardware. He was an avid sailor and restored several classic wooden vessels. He played several musical instruments and due to his Scottish hertitage, was especially fond of the bagpipes. He also painted in oils and was a waterfowl carver. He was an honorary Band Master of the USMMA Band, a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, a member of the St. Andrews Society of the Eastern Shore and the US Navy League. He moved to the Eastern Shore from Moorestown, NJ in 1991 after his marriage to the former, Mackey Metcalfe of Chestertown who survives him. Also surviving are a daughter, Kristin D. Korkunis of La Canada, CA; three stepchildren, Paige S. Coombs of Pomfret, CT, Molly Streit of Baltimore, MD and Stuart Streit of Cincinnati, OH; one granddaughter, Grace Korkunis and two step granddaughters, Katie and Kelsey Streit. He is also survived by two brothers, Edward P. Dutton of Centreville, MA and Robert Dutton of Gainesville, FL and three sisters, Jane D. Welch of Cocoa Beach, FL, Elizabeth D. Donovan of Marco Island, FL and Nancy D. Saunders of Plymouth, MA. Another brother, Lt. William J. Dutton, USAAF, was killed in WWII. Mr. Dutton was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown where a memorial service will take place at 2pm on Saturday, February 16, 2008. Burial at Old St. Paul’s, Kent will be private. Contributions may be made in Mr. Dutton’s name to the US Merchant Marine Academy Band, c/o Capt. Ken Force, 300 Steamboat Rd., Kings Point, NY 11024 or to the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, 905 Gateway Dr., Chestertown, MD 21620.