Alfred Kristian Mathisen

Fred Mathisen, 98, died peacefully on March 6, 2023. Born Alfred Kristian Østby in Trondheim, Norway in 1925 to Arnt Meier Skaseth and Marie Louise Nikoline Østby, he was the youngest of 13 born into their family. At the age of 10, Fred immigrated to the U.S. and lived in Brooklyn, NY. After his education at the Brooklyn High School of Automotive Trades in 1941, he served in the Merchant Marines where he traveled through South America, West Indies, and Europe until enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.

After attending the St. Louis School of Aeronautics in 1943, Staff Sergeant Alfred Mathisen served three years (1943-46) embedded with the 61st and 441st Troop Carrier Groups of the US Army Air Corp in the European Theater of Operations. As an Aerial Engineer, he maintained flights that transported troops and equipment across the European Theater.

Fred then served on the largest private yacht in the world – originally launched as Hussar V, becoming Sea Cloud when sold to Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1931, as it is still known today. He was also active in the Norseman Lodge and the Free Accepted Masons.

His 66-year marriage to Dorothy M. Faulkner (dec. 2022) began in 1956. They were the first couple to be married at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Summit NJ after becoming founding members of the Unitarian Fellowship of Morristown, NJ.

Earning his engineering education at the Stevens Institute of Technology in 1961, Fred became an Apollo Missions engineer, helping to design and develop the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) retro rocket for the first U.S. lunar expedition. In 1967, Fred moved his family to Taiwan as Plant Manager for General Instruments – one of the first electronics manufacturers established in the country. Throughout Taiwan, he and Dorothy were active members of Shriners International.

After moving his family back to Sparta, NJ, Fred continued his career as a manufacturing engineer, often mentoring engineers in their education and career paths. He was involved in community service, including as an EMT on the Sparta Rescue Squad, YMCA Indian Guide Counselor, Facilitator for the NJ Mental Health Association, and as Vice President of Community Hope – an organization to assist mentally handicapped adolescents with housing and job training/placement. Under his tenure 5 houses and 14 apartments were procured.

Retiring to Wilmington, NC, Fred and Dot travelled to over 30 countries, all the while delivering Meals on Wheels to fellow seniors for 20 years. He is survived by his three children: Erik Mathisen (Frances), Lisa Mathisen, and Kari Mathisen, soon to wed David J. Pedersen.

Funeral services will not be held and in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the SECU Crystal Coast Hospice House.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noefs.net

Arrangements by Noe Funeral Service, Inc. of Beaufort, NC.