Frederick ‘Fred’ F. Dueser ’49 of Breckenridge, Texas, died February 26, 2012. Fred was born in Ellinwood, Kan., in 1922 and was a Navy pilot in World War II. After marrying Dorothy Roth in 1945, he earned a professional degree in petroleum engineering from Mines, where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Five years after joining Graridge Corporation in 1959, he and five other partners sold the company and started Petroleum Corporation of Texas.

In later years, Fred owned numerous companies, including Bates Coal, Hubbard Development, PC Limited, States Inc. and States Limited. A resident of Breckenridge for 53 years, he served on the Breckenridge School Board for 12 years, most of the time as president. He also served on the Parish Council, Building Committee and as Lector of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. At the time of his death, he was chairman of the board of Breck Operating Corporation and Ibex. Fred is survived by his daughters, Linda Duhon, Cassie Griffith and Denise Cook; son Scott; 11 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.