Frederic D Blair, passed away January 16, 2003 in Pomona, California. He was a resident of Mount San Antonio Gardens in Claremont. Fred was born in the South Pasadena home of his parents, Reverend Frederic and Josephine Dayton Blair, November 16, 1923. He was raised in South Pasadena, attended Pomona College, and served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II.

In 1954 he founded Blair-Martin Company, Inc. where he mentored many people in the sales of engineered equipment and introduced new product concepts, most notably the pilot-operated relief valve. He retired in 1989. He was a member of San Marino Community Church, Glenkirk Presbyterian Church (Glendora), and Claremont Presbyterian Church. For many years he volunteered at Foothill Presbyterian Hospital. His greatest community involvement was with the South Pasadena-San Marino YMCA, to which he belonged since he entered Friendly Indians as a young boy. With the "Y", he was a charter member of the Y's Mens Club, served on the Board of Managers, directed summer camps, served as fundraising campaign chairman, and is listed in the coveted Golden Book of the Los Angeles Metropolitan YMCA.

Fred is predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Elizabeth DeWeese Blair, and survived by children, Helen (Ken) McCue of Connecticut, Kenneth (Margaret) Blair, Kathleen Grantham, Beth (Tod) Corrin, and Jenevieve (Eric) Polin and ten grandchildren. He also leaves his very special companion, Dorothy Stark.

Pasadena Star-News, January 24, 2003