Frederick "Fred" William DeVries, 88 of Pennsbury Township, died Friday, Sept. 14,.
Fred was born on Feb. 5, 1930 in New York City to Frederick and Maxine (nee Sondheimer) DeVries. He graduated at the age of 15 from Columbia Grammar School, continued his education at Columbia University in engineering, and went on to earn his master's degree in chemical engineering in 1950. Fred had only two job interviews and went on to work for DuPont in Buffalo, N.Y., Louisville, Ky. and Memphis, Tenn. before settling in Chadds Ford. He worked at the DuPont Experimental Station and later transferred to Chestnut Run where he eventually retired from the Pigments Division at DuPont. Fred was a world class expert in the use of cyanide in precious metal mining, traveling around the world including Eastern Europe, South Africa, and Australia educating people in the proper usage of cyanide.
He truly loved New York City, Columbia University, music, his family, being an eye witness to history, and was a proud Mason.
Fred was very active in all sorts of civic areas, including teaching Sunday School at Congregation Beth Emeth, volunteering as a judge for the high school science fair, helping to bring a program called Town Watch to his neighborhood, and involving himself in Pennsbury Township's recycling program.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mary; his sister, Helen DeVries Edersheim; two daughters, Margaret DeVries Poretz (Victor) of Long Island, N.Y. and Carol DeVries Leeland of Portland, Ore.; and his son, Frederick Joseph DeVries (Danielle Saunders) of Oakland, Calif. Fred was blessed with four grandsons, David Poretz, Max Poretz, Elijah DeVries, and Malachi DeVries.
Funeral services will be 10 am, Monday Sept. 17, at Congregation Beth Emeth, 301 W. Lea Boulevard, Wilmington, DE 19802. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Congregation Beth Emeth.
Schoenberg Memorial Chapel
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