James Alec Fred, 92, formerly of Cutler and now a resident of Carroll Manor, near Delphi, passed away at 8:01 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, 2008, at St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo.

He was born Nov. 11, 1916, in South Bend, to Roy and Nellie Diltz Fred. On Sept. 5, 1945, he married Mary Ellen Hunt in Russiaville. She preceded him in death on April 11, 1991.

Mr. Fred graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1935. After high school, he worked in a local furniture factory for 19 months, saving enough money to buy an automobile, a radio tube tester and other equipment needed to repair radios. He rented a small building in downtown Mishawaka for a radio repair shop. Since 1938 was not a good time to start a new business, he went to work as a substitute clerk-carrier at the post office.

By the time World War II started he was a radio instructor at the Army Air Force Radio School in Chicago. He later was an electronics signal corp inspector at two radio factories in Kokomo.

Following the end of the war, he went to work as a junior radio engineer at the Kingston Radio Factory in Kokomo. He designed radios that were made for and sold by Montgomery Ward, Gambles Stores and Western Auto Supply. Kingston Product Corp. closed its radio division in June 1954.

Mr. Fred then went to work for the Bendix Guided Missile plant in Mishawaka, where he was a test equipment design engineer. The TALOS missile was assembled there. In January 1957 he was employed as a product engineer at Mallory Controls Company in Frankfort. After 25 1/2 years there, he retired in April 1983.

Mr. Fred held many parttime jobs during these years. He was a power tool demonstrator at the Sears store in Kokomo, taught adult vocational classes for 2 1/2 years at Frankfort High School, was a transmitter engineer at two radio stations in Kokomo, and in his spare time serviced radio sets for nearly 70 years.

He wrote over 200 magazine articles about electronic projects and supplied over 400 photographs to illustrate his stories.

Surviving are two sons, James David Fred (wife: Patty) and Mark A. Fred (wife: Dianna); one brother, Berwyn Fred of Wheaton, Ill.; five grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and nine stepgreat-grandchildren.

A sister also preceded him in death.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Russiaville Cemetery. Pastor Steve Fritchman will officiate.

Memorial contributions may be made to Carroll Manor.

Reinke Funeral Home, Flora, was in charge of arrangements.