Friedrich 'Fred' Constabel

July 21, 1929 - January 4, 2024

In Loving Memory ~

Fred (Fiete) passed away peacefully on January 4th at the age of 94.

He is lovingly remembered by his four children: Christine (Bill Klopp), Peter (Lynn Yip), Caroline (Yves Dube虂), Annette (Kevin Astridge), nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Christa, and his sister Elisabeth.

Fred grew up in Meldorf on the North Sea coast of Germany. The open landscape instilled in him a deep love of nature that never left him and inspired him to become a biologist. He met his wife Christa in botany class at the University of Go虉ttingen, where both completed PhDs.

His postdoctoral training took him to Paris to work in the lab of Dr. Gautheret, a leading researcher in the new field of plant tissue culture that became Fred's passion and career.

His other love was Christa; they married in 1958, and Fred took up a post as assistant professor at the University of Bonn. Ten years and four children later the young family spent a sabbatical year in Saskatoon, where Fred joined a dynamic group of scientists at what is now the National Research Council's Plant Biotechnology Institute. In 1972 Fred was offered a position there and the family immigrated to Canada and settled in Saskatoon.

Over the years, Fred and his lab made many pioneering discoveries and became internationally recognized for their expertise in plant cell culture. Family life revolved around wilderness and outdoor adventures on foot, by ski or canoe, and trips frequently included visiting researchers from all over the world.

Fred was passionate about the local flora and fauna, and was often busy making plant lists, usually with the help of Christa.

Upon his retirement from NRC in 1993, Fred and Christa moved to Courtenay on Vancouver Island. Fred soon joined the Comox Valley Naturalists and when he wasn't travelling the world with Christa, he was an enthusiastic guide. He loved to paddle his kayak to Tree Island, one of his favourite local spots.

In later years, dementia may have robbed Fred of his memory, but not his keen sense of observation. His enchantment with life rarely faltered; he often started sentences with an emphatic "Never in my life ..." and ended with "wonderful" or "marvellous".

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 27th at 2 pm at Faith Lutheran Church, 1688 McPhee Ave., Courtenay.