Born: 02/20/1943
Boston, MA
Died: 04/18/2026
Burlington, VT
Details of service:
A memorial service will be held this summer.
Frederick Winslow Stetson II, 83, of Burlington, Vermont died on April 18, 2026. He was born February 20, 1943 in Boston, the son of Brewster Stetson and Rhoda Belknap Stetson.
Fred grew up in Duxbury, MA where he spent his childhood exploring the tidal salt marshes.
He attended Derby Academy in Hingham, MA and graduated from St. George’s School in Newport, RI in 1961. At St. George’s, he played football, was captain of the varsity tennis team and was elected Senior Prefect by his classmates.
He graduated Middlebury College in 1965 with a degree in American Literature and was a member of the varsity hockey and tennis teams. At Middlebury, he developed a lifelong love of Vermont and Robert Frost and through the college’s ROTC flight program, learned to fly single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft.
Following Middlebury, Fred went on to Army helicopter training and then combat service in Vietnam. He served as a member of the 175th Aviation Company, based in Vinh Long from 1966 to 1967. Upon his return, he became an instructor-pilot at the US Army Primary Helicopter School in Fort Wolters, TX and then a pilot in the Vermont National Guard for over 20 years. In all, he accumulated more than 5,000 hours of military flight time.
Fred returned to Vermont in 1968 where he worked as a writer and photographer. He was a reporter for The Burlington Free Press, edited books at Garden Way Publishing Company and wrote for regional publications, including The Boston Globe, The Montreal Gazette and Vermont Life. He co-authored Ultralight Boat Building with boat builder Tom Hill. His award-winning photographs of Vermont scenes have been exhibited and published throughout New England.
Fred was an athlete and outdoorsman. He loved skiing, sailing, squash, tennis, hockey, hiking and bird hunting. His love of the outdoors took him on adventures throughout New England, the Adirondacks and as far as the Andes.
Fred was a natural teacher and at various times taught writing, photography, tennis, sailing and squash. He was a sailing instructor at the Burlington Community Sailing Center and volunteer guide skier with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports.
Fred was thoughtful and gentle by nature. As a true New Englander, he held his emotions close but showed his love through countless acts of kindness and generosity. He was mild-mannered and always polite. To the many friends and family who shaped his life he would want to say: thank you.
Fred leaves behind his beloved wife of nearly 40 years, Katherine (Kate) M. Pond; his daughter Elizabeth (Liz) Stetson and her partner Fritz Kuhn; his sister, Rhoda (Rhodie) S. Whittemore; his sister-in-law, Phyllis Haffenreffer Stetson; his niece Amy Stetson and her husband Jay Ryan, and many other nieces, nephews and cousins. Fred leaves a large and loving blended family, including: step children Jennifer (Jenny) Robins, Chris Robins and his wife Carol Robins; step grandchildren Angela Robins, Fiona Lovins and her husband Benjamin Lovins; step great granddaughter Juniper (Juni) Lovins; Margaret (Meg) Pond and Jim Rader; Patrick Robins and Lisa Schamberg; his first wife, Mary Esther C. Treat and many others whom he loved dearly.
Fred was preceded in death by his brother Brewster (Mike) Stetson Jr. and his brother-in-law, Dr. Anthony Whittemore.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the Community Sailing Center in Burlington, or the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.
