Frank C. Kilpatrick | Civil engineer, 84

Frank Craig Kilpatrick, 84, a retired surveyor and civil engineer, died of complications of mesothelioma on Friday, Sept. 23, in the Rockledge home where he grew up.

Mr. Kilpatrick was with the firms of Franklin & Lindsey and then Barton & Martin Engineers in Philadelphia until 1992. After a decade of retirement, he returned to Franklin & Lindsey for six years, until 2008.

During World War II, he dropped out of the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Media to enlist in the Navy. When the war ended, he was aboard the light cruiser San Juan in the Bay of Tokyo, assisting with the evacuation of American prisoners of war. The ship later sailed to California with homeward-bound troops.

After his discharge, Mr. Kilpatrick graduated from Williamson, and took engineering courses at Pennsylvania State University-Brandywine.

Before settling down to a 9-to-5 engineering job, he worked on an oil rig in Venezuela, drove with friends from Philadelphia to Acapulco, Mexico - camping roadside - and served in the Merchant Marine.

A jack of all trades, he maintained his family home into his 80s. He had tremendous stamina and strength, and was still pruning and climbing trees at 70, his son, Peter, said.

Mr. Kilpatrick enjoyed folk music, baseball, sailing, and reading, and could recite Shakespeare and the poems of A.E. Housman.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 34 years, Larysa Odezynsky Kilpatrick; daughters Christina and Mira; three sisters; and two grandchildren.

Mr. Kilpatrick donated his body to science.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Donations may be made to the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, 106 S. New Middletown Rd., Media, Pa. 19063.