Steven Richard Fredette

May 12, 1960 – October 13, 2021

It is with grieving hearts that we share the news that husband and father, Steven Richard Fredette, age 61, of Colleyville TX, passed away on Oct 13, 2021, surrounded by his wife, two daughters, and sister. He passed away from complications associated with Covid-19 pneumonia and Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer.

Steve was born in Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland on May 12, 1960. He later moved to Bowie, Maryland for his early school years and to Reston, Virginia for his high school and college years.

He was husband to his wife of 33 years, Cindy (Loughead) Fredette, and father to his life’s greatest gifts: his daughters Talia, age 25 (Brooklyn, NY), and Jaime, age 19 (Colleyville, Texas) — and his dog Rylee. He was the beloved son of parents Richard and Terry Fredette, brother of Greg Fredette (predeceased) and Karin (Fredette) Nicotra, brother-in-law of Vincent Nicotra, and uncle of Logan and Caroline Nicotra (Denver, Colorado).

Steve was loved by his in-laws, Graham and Pat Loughead (predeceased) and will be missed by his sister and brother-in-laws Cathie and Bobby Landsburg and children Suzanne, Tricia, and Patrick; Christa and Gary Giddens and children Ashley, Taylor, Lindsey (predeceased), Kayla, and Nicole (Truro, Nova Scotia); and Carol and Stephan Reale and children Rachael and Egan (East Greenwich, Rhode Island).

Steve’s father and mother describe their son as “a person of high conscientiousness. He always gave his best at whatever he undertook throughout his young and adult life. One could always count on his honesty, integrity, and fairness. He had a strong intellectual quality that could never be missed in any conversation with him.”

Steve’s best friend from high school, Tom Broderick, recalled that Steve had a large group of friends who shared many good times playing basketball, baseball, and football. Steve was known for his intelligence, athleticism, love of the outdoors, and humor. A dedicated student who inspired others to work as hard, he was a good friend to many and a great friend to a special few.

After graduating from high school, he earned a full Navy ROTC scholarship to Georgia Tech. Steve joined the navy and attended Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with honors with an industrial engineering degree in May of 1982. He was then stationed in San Francisco as an ensign serving in the civil engineers corps of the United States Navy. In 1984, he received the Navy Achievement Medal. This was an unusual achievement for a boot ensign. In 1986, Steve, now as Lieutenant Steven R Fredette, CEC, USN, concluded his duty and moved onto his life as a civilian, joining the family construction company, McMillin and Sons.

Steve met one of his dearest friends Mike Murdter in 1983, when they were both newly-minted ensigns living in the Bachelor Officers Quarters on Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco. He wrote: “Steve was a good, good man. I felt privileged to know him and call him a friend my entire adult life. His sense of humor, kindheartedness, and easygoing nature made him impossible not to like. We remained friends for nearly 40 years. I felt privileged to know him and call him my friend.”

Steve was married September 24, 1988, to Cindy Loughead in Truro, Nova Scotia after a whirlwind long-distance relationship that followed a fateful meeting on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Upon completing the construction of an airplane hangar in Port Hueneme, California for Mcmillin, Steve decided with Cindy to indulge their desire to travel until their savings ran out. Steve liked to reminisce about waking up on his 30th birthday with no job, no house, and the entirety of their belongings in storage. Together, they spent 5 months in 8 countries before landing back in California to search for a new beginning. They found it in Santa Barbara for 2 years before settling in Solvang, ‘just over the pass’.

Their next 28 years brought a combined 7 different jobs, a beautiful first home, an amazing church and community, and so many friends to love. Most significantly, Steve and Cindy celebrated the arrivals of their daughters: Talia Nicole, in October of 1996, and Jaime Carolin Sophia, in March of 2002. Life was rich with 16 years of dance performances, 14 years of violin recitals, 7 years of 4H fairs, 4 years of FFA competitions, 21 years of schooling (and counting), summers at their oceanfront cottage in Nova Scotia, and the adoption of three dogs, two cats, sixteen goats, four rabbits, two chameleons, one tortoise, and numerous fish, frogs, snails, and lizards.

Steve worked from 1995 to 2016 for Smith Electric (Santa Maria, California). He treasured the owner Ron Brannon and deeply mourned his passing. He worked closely with Ron’s sons, Mike and Larry Brannon. Mike Brannon wrote:

“Steve came to work with us from R.P. Richards Inc. at the request of Ron Brannon, because Ron knew that Smith was growing and needed someone with Steve’s insight and communication skills to help us navigate that growth. His steady humor, diverse construction knowledge, excellent letter-writing skills, and his ability to see both sides of any conflict or situation made him an invaluable asset to our company…Steve shared his life with us…Beyond his pride and love for his family, Steve’s passion for bicycling, food (especially dessert), games (we will play Chickenfoot forever, thanks to the Fredette family), and travel, made a great impact on Larry and me”.

In 2016, Steve joined Dynaten Corporation in Fort Worth after making the difficult decision to move with his family to Colleyville, Texas. He instantly found his footing and quickly came to love his role and those who worked with him in every capacity.

Dynaten’s president Scott Brady shared:

“Steve immediately became a respected leader. His knowledge and ability to understand the big picture while knowing every detail of a project was unique. He had the ability to…not just create working relationships, but also lasting friendships with all who worked with him…I looked forward to his calls, as he always left me with a witty, laughable comment that brightened my day”.

Steady, strong, generous, and always with humor and patience, Steve took life one day at a time. He loved the little things and kept life simple. He was determined to succeed and humble in his victories. He climbed towering mountains, figuratively and literally, and still came out on top, from finally winning a local mountain bike race at age 42 to battling enemies he couldn’t see. He did it all with dignity and grace, demonstrating how to live every day for those bright moments found along the climb.

Steve Fredette, to his wife and daughters the quiet hero, loyal guardian, and devoted friend, will be remembered and missed by them for as long as they live.

Steve’s memorial service will be held on Grass Mountain Trail, Santa Ynez, CA in April 2022, when it is covered with California poppies.

In Steve’s memory, please consider a gift to the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation.

 https://i wmf.com/ways-to-give/