Fred Monroe Zeder III

Fred Monroe Zeder III, known for his unwavering spirit and zest for life, passed away on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 at the age of 78.  He was born July 20, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan to Fred M. Zeder II and Martha Blood Zeder.  His formative years were spent in the picturesque town of Greenwich, Connecticut, where he cultivated his adventurous nature, much to his parents’ dismay.  He graduated from Sterling Academy High School, which he loved,  after having policy disputes with several prior high schools.  He then attended the University of Michigan, where he met and married his first wife, Suzanne Jobin.  After traveling through Europe for a year, he attended Georgetown Law School, where he distinguished himself by writing for the Law Review.  Fred settled in Seattle where he and Suzanne had two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth.  He was deeply passionate about his work and practiced litigation for over 3 decades as a partner in his law firm.  He was most proud of being involved in several high-profile cases that helped change industry standards for consumer safety.

 In 1985 Fred married his second wife, Betty Darby.  They had a son, Aaron in 1986.  He was an enthusiastic father and deeply loved all three of his children.  He enjoyed regaling them with colorful tales of hitchhiking, unnerving motorcycle encounters with snakes, and other humorous misadventures that left them both thrilled and horrified.  Fred’s other passions included hiking and camping in the Great Pacific Northwest.  He embraced the culinary chaos of kitchen experimentation, and loved immersing himself in diverse cultures and history through travel. He was also an avid follower of world politics and relished a spirited debate.  A scholar at heart, Fred had a profound fascination with history, particularly Greek and Roman military history, the Civil War, and World War II. His appetite for information was insatiable, and he could often be found engrossed in books on these subjects, eager to expand his understanding of the past.

 In 2002, Fred attempted retirement for the first time. He and his wife Betty relocated to Prescott, Arizona, where they built a house, which had always been a dream of his.  In 2005 he failed retirement and took a job as an Assistant Attorney General for ADOT.  After being diagnosed with IPF in 2015 he eventually retired and focused on family, strategy video games, gardening, cooking, floating in the pool and battling IPF.  We are all so grateful he lived as long as he did.  

 Fred took immense pleasure and pride in his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Betty, and his cherished children Margaret, Elizabeth, and Aaron. He is also survived by his dear sisters Suzan and Melinda.  He was predeceased by his sister Wendy and brother Howard.

 Those who knew Fred will remember him as funny, obsessive, a great cook, an enthusiastic raconteur, and endlessly enthusiastic about history, his work, and, above all, his family. Despite facing numerous challenges, Fred approached life with determination, curiosity, resilience and an irrepressible zest and gratitude for living.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pulfibfou/, which is the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation or to Hospice of the Valley https://www.hov.org/donate/donate-now/ which gave them great comfort and support in Fred’s last month.

 The family will be holding a private celebration of Fred’s life.