Frederick O. Dutton III, a retired businessman and World War II merchant seaman, died of respiratory failure Saturday at Chester River Hospital Center. The Chestertown resident was 84.
Mr. Dutton was born in Roanoke, Va., and was raised there and also in Charleston, W.Va., and Maplewood, N.J. He was a 1944 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.
A licensed marine engineer, Mr. Dutton was commissioned an ensign and served in the U.S. merchant marine aboard ships in the North Atlantic and Pacific.
After leaving the merchant marine in 1948, he went to work in the marine engineering department of Babcock & Wilcox in New York City. During the 1950s, he was employed by the old Garlock Packing Co., where he assisted in the development of Teflon insulated flexible circuitry.
In 1967, Mr. Dutton established Chemelec Products Inc. in Cherry Hill, N.J., manufacturers of Teflon electric hardware. He sold the business in 1990 and remained an adviser until 1991.
The Chestertown resident enjoyed restoring several classic wooden vessels. He also was a bagpiper and liked painting in oils and waterfowl carving.
He was a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, St. Andrew's Society of the Eastern Shore, U.S. Navy League, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association.
Mr. Dutton was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, where a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Surviving are his wife of 17 years, the former Mackey Metcalfe; a daughter, Kristin D. Korkunis of La Canada, Calif.; a stepson, Stuart M. Streit of Cincinnati; two stepdaughters, Molly Streit of Baltimore and Paige S. Coombs of Pomfret, Conn.; two brothers, Edward P. Dutton of Centerville, Mass., and Robert Dutton of Gainesville, Fla.; three sisters, Jane D. Welch of Cocoa Beach, Fla., Elizabeth M. Donovan of Marco Island, Fla., and Nancy D. Saunders of Plymouth, Mass.; and three granddaughters. An earlier marriage ended in divorce.