Loudon Campbell Fairgrieve, 82, of Mystic died April 19, 2011 at Fairview Nursing Home.
Don was born in Fraser, Michigan on December 24, 1928, the son of John and Margaret Fairgrieve, immigrants from Scotland.
The family spent early years in Newport News, Virginia, then settled in City Island, Bronx, New York where Don’s father worked as a boatbuilder at Nevins Shipyard.
Don graduated from Fort Schuyler, New York State Maritime College and subsequently served as junior third mate on a merchant ship to West Africa. Ashore he was employed by the City of New York Department of Marine and Aviation before beginning a 32-year career at Electric Boat in naval architecture and nuclear engineering. In early retirement Don enjoyed employment with a Rhode Island yacht builder, and worked on plans for the hull design of the 1987 America’s Cup Twelve-Metre, Stars and Stripes, in a Connecticut naval architect’s office. His leisure pursuits were centered on nautical themes with reading and book collecting, construction of small boats and woodworking to reconstruct and maintain a gaff-rigged sloop of 24 feet. His volunteer activities included the Boy Scouts and Community Meals program.
Surviving him are his wife, Edith; son, Ian, of Missoula, Montana; daughter, Margaret Milanick and husband, Mark, of Columbia, Missouri and grandson, William Milanick. He is also survived by his brother, William Fairgrieve and wife, Norma, of Lodi California and their children Susan Kurkjian and John and Scott Fairgrieve.
A memorial service on Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 11:00am at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl Street, Mystic. Family and friends are invited to attend.
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