Fred Jennings Wilder

Fred J Wilder (Lt. Cmdr., US Navy, ret.), 92, entered into glory on Dec. 6, 2019, at the residence of his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Stephen and Debra Wilder of Albany, GA, surrounded by loving family. Fred was born Dec. 28, 1926 in Clearwater, Florida, and was a resident of Wellington, Florida, where he lived with his daughter Diane Coe, and his son-in-law John Coe.

Fred spent his happy childhood on and near the water of beautiful Clearwater, Florida, and graduated from Clearwater H.S. in 1944. He trusted Christ and joined Calvary Baptist Church during his childhood, where he remained an active member for many years.  As pioneers in the early history of Clearwater, the Wilder family had four generations of members at Calvary Baptist, and three generations were born in the Morton Plant Hospital. 

After attending Vanderbilt University and The University of North Carolina, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis near the end of WWII, graduating with an engineering degree in 1949. He became a carrier-based naval aviator in his active and then reserve military duty, fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a pilot. He always had a great love for boats and airplanes, especially the latter, and passed his love of flying on to his daughter, Diane, who is a professional airline pilot. Fred earned two victory medals for his active duty service during WWII and the Korean conflict, and also flew reconnaissance missions as a reserve naval aviator during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was as a US naval aviator serving with his squadron on the USS Leyte that he met the love of his life, Dorothy. They were married at the Jacksonville, Florida NAS chapel in 1953.

While still on active duty as a pilot, Fred taught celestial navigation and engineering courses at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, while attending the University of Maryland Law School at night.  Following his honorable release from active duty and transitioning into reserve duty in 1955, Fred entered Stetson Law School, St. Petersburg, Florida, where he received his J.D. degree in 1957.  Shortly after graduating law school, his first son was born.  Including Fred (1957), his father (1914), and his son Greg (1982), three generations of the Wilder family graduated from Stetson Law School. 

 Fred practiced probate, estate planning, and real estate law in Clearwater, Florida for 51 years. During that time, his civic accomplishments included having the highest peer rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, President of the Clearwater (FL) Bar Association, and a two-term Mayor of Belleair, Florida. He was a member and former President of Kiwanis Club.

Fred had a remarkable and interesting life, but he is best known for his humility, integrity and patience, even when enduring hardship as he did in the later years of his life, as he dealt with the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease eventually taking his beloved wife of 60 years, Dorothy, in 2014, and then dealing with declining health of his own. He was always gracious and kind to others even during these trials. His other great loves were his children, grandchildren (who knew him as “Papa”), and his great-grandchildren. He also loved college football (especially the Florida Gators, and his alma mater, the US Naval Academy Midshipmen), and his children’s dogs.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Guss Wilder, Sr. and Freddie Leigh Jennings Wilder, by wife Dorothy H. Wilder, brother Guss Wilder, Jr. and sisters Jessie Lee Wilder Thacker, Willie Ouida Wilder Kitchens and Betty Wilder Goodgame. He is survived by two sons, Gregory F. Wilder of Dallas, TX, Dr. Stephen M. Wilder (Debra) of Albany, GA, and a daughter, Diane W. Coe(John) of Wellington, FL; three granddaughters, Whitney Hachinsky (Dr. Cordell) of Columbus, GA, Brooke Hardesty (Michael) of Nashville, TN and Rachel Connor (James) of Nashville, TN; two grandsons, Andrew Wilder of Redmond, WA and Christopher Wilder of Warner Robins, GA;  three great-grandchildren, Asher, Esther and Samuel Hachinsky, all of Columbus, GA; Susan K. Wilder, of Oldsmar, FL, plus many beloved nieces and nephews.

The family plans to honor Fred’s wishes to have a private ceremony Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites on Sand Key, 1201 Gulf Blvd in Clearwater, FL 33767, to celebrate the memory of both Fred and Dorothy.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.