Frederick A. Struve III, 75, died peacefully on Dec. 22 at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford after staying more than a few steps ahead of his cancer for eight good years. He was the loving husband of Eva Struve. Fred was born on May 6, 1937 and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. He lived for many years in New York, Virginia, and Shreveport, Louisiana before moving to Guilford in 2003. Fred’s early love of science, music, and the natural world stayed with him during his 75 years, bringing him much joy professionally and personally.

After earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northwestern University, Fred pursued a career as a research scientist in the field of electroencephalography, studying under esteemed mentor and neurology pioneer Frederic Gibbs, M.D. Before his most recent position as senior research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine, Fred was a full professor of psychiatry and director of the Neurophysiology Research Laboratories at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he was recruited to develop the neurophysiology lab. During his distinguished career, Fred produced 120 scientific publications and 11 invited book chapters.

Fred was never far from a musical instrument, whether playing one himself, enjoying tunes at a Jazz Club, or listening to a cherished album with his wife at home. He played clarinet with high school friends in Edgehill 5 and sat-in often with John Harbison's Nassau Jazz Band while in college. Later in life, he discovered his true calling as a trumpet and flugelhorn player and formed the No Compromise Authentic Jazz Quartet, which played in the Shreveport, Louisiana, area for many years.

Fred was an active member of the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society and enjoyed great fellowship as a member of the Sunday Services Committee and the Writers Group. He particularly enjoyed delivering occasional lay sermons, drawing attention to the loss of both human and animal life through capital punishment or disregard for the environment.

Whether he was sailing on Long Island Sound, searching the night skies with his telescope, walking his Newfoundland, Monk, or Great Pyrenees, JJ, or enjoying a favorite plate of spaghetti and a good beer with his much-loved family, Fred approached each endeavor with an ever-curious mind and a jolly passion that will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Fred had recently finished a collection of creative essays, “Observations from a Child of the Trilobites,” which will be published posthumously.

Besides his beloved wife, he is survived by his son Doug Struve; his daughter Jody Struve and wife Erinn Auletta; Eva's children, Andrea Lacroix and husband Fred, Naomi Zauderer and husband Steve Choi, and Wendy Holsinger; his sister Virginia Enourato and husband Frank; his niece Christy Morrison and husband Joseph Ryan; his grandchildren, Sean, Henry and Celia; and Eva's grandchildren, Anna, Mathew, Emily, and Tommy. He is also survived by his grandnephews, Joseph and John.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m., at the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society in Madison. Remembrances can be made to the Sea Shepard Conservation Society (360-370-5650, www.seashepherd.org).