Frederic Andre Joseph Sicher

Frederic Andre Joseph Sicher, named for his grandfather, passed away in Oakland, California, at the age of 91, leaving behind a life defined by curiosity, reinvention, and an unwavering commitment to living on his own terms. He was born in Belleville, Illinois, to Lois Gwendolyn (Ross) Sicher and Andre Julien Pierre Raymond Sicher, whose family emigrated from Pau, France. His father’s early passing, when Fred was just 17, profoundly shaped his outlook, instilling in him both independence and a deep sense of resilience. In the 1990s, he brought the same sense of responsibility and devotion to caring for his mother in the final years of her life.

Fred was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he attended Glenbard High School and discovered an early love of acting, performing as the lead in several school productions. Though he once considered pursuing acting professionally, he honored a promise to his father to attend the University of Chicago. There, he immersed himself in academics and campus life, joining the fencing club, the dramatics club, and the Psi Upsilon fraternity. He earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, a second bachelor’s degree in psychology, and went on to complete a Master’s degree with honors in Psychology at the University of Connecticut.

He served his country in the United States Army and Coast Guard, in both active and reserve status for nearly six years, and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas during the Berlin crisis. He was discharged honorably as a Medical Specialist in 1963.

Fred’s professional life was anything but conventional. Early in his career, he worked at Leo Burnett before leaving to pursue a dream of writing, building a home with his first wife, Joy, in Beverly Shores, Indiana. He later worked in market research for Quaker Oats before taking on increasingly global and entrepreneurial roles. His work took him around the world, including overseeing a large-scale meat packing initiative abroad in Lagos, Nigeria. Additionally, he established the Whitaker Corporation’s Beirut office staffing Saudi Arabian hospitals.

His adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit continued to guide him throughout his life. He moved from Los Angeles to Palm Beach in the 1970’s to launch a lobster processing venture in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Following the end of his first marriage, he met his second wife Mary. Together, they shared a love of disco dancing, winning several competitions, and a passion for entrepreneurship, including building a small conch and lobster business in Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton.

They later moved to Marin County in California, where Fred began a new chapter, starting as a car salesman, where he quickly worked his way up to finance manager, and was recruited to multiple dealerships. He went on to found C.A.S. Insurance and Bay Auto Insurance Services, and developed an innovative product designed to automate insurance policy processes. While it was not approved by the California Department of Insurance at the time, the concept anticipated systems that are widely used across the insurance industry today.

Never one to settle, Fred later pursued an aquaculture commercial research operation with the countries of Mexico, Vietnam, and Ireland; and ultimately returned to market research, traveling the United States, interviewing people from all walks of life and learning the experiences that shaped them.

Over time, he turned inward toward writing, physics, and his interest in quantum. He authored a book challenging principles of conventional psychiatry, reflecting upon his deeply personal perspectives and intellectual independence. He also co-authored an article that was published in the Western Journal of Medicine, detailing the results of a distant healing study involving advanced AIDS patients with Dr. Elizabeth Targ. In addition to this work, he wrote several short stories and novels, many of which drew from his own life experiences.

Fred was, above all, an adventurer. He was drawn to the outdoors, new ideas, and new experiences. His family fondly remembers Sunday hikes on Mount Tamalpais in Marin, where he would build morning fires along the trail and cook pancakes and breakfast sausages.

In his second act of life, he learned to fly small Cessna airplanes. He loved sailing, camping, traveling, watching movies, visiting the beach, and being the life of the party. He was an avid chess player, and remained a devoted sports fan, always cheering passionately for the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Cubs. He was also a champion of education and financial independence for his children.

Fred appreciated the finer things in life. He enjoyed good food, good wine, and quality time spent with family. His family remembers him making Brioche french toast on Sunday mornings, and he perfected the art of making Grand Marnier souffles.

He is survived by his sister, Jeanne, and four daughters, Kyly, Kathryn, Christy, and Erin; sons-in-law Thorsten, John, Daniel, and Diamond; and grandchildren Aidan, Ella, Andre, Nina, and Marley, who carry forward his spirit of resilience and individuality. He was preceded in death by his daughter Andrea, whose memory remained close to his heart, and by his sisters Elizabeth “Betty” Leigh and Mary Flanagan.

Fred often reflected on life with a perspective shaped by experience: that change is inevitable, and that strength lies in adaptability. He believed deeply that life must be lived with courage, flexibility, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.

He leaves behind a legacy not easily defined but deeply felt. A life lived fully, boldly, and without apology.

Services will be private in summer 2026.