Fred Walter Clement Jr. passed peacefully from this life on March 23, 2022 in his home in Chesapeake, Va.

He was born in Portland, Maine on May 13, 1924, to Fred W. and Mae (Brown) Clement. In his senior year at Deering High School on December 7, 1942, Fred enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces where he served as a flight engineer.

While stationed in California, he sent an engagement ring to his high school sweetheart, Shirley-ann Kneeland, and married her shortly thereafter. He was completely devoted to her until her death in 2013 and is now re-united with her in heaven.

Fred and Shirley lived in Texas and California when he was in the Army. He later lived in Portland and Brewer, Maine; Manchester, Merrimack and Laconia, N.H.; New Port Richey, Fla.; and Chesapeake and Hampton, Va.

They were blessed with three children: Roger Clement of Naples, Cheryl Demos of Chesapeake, Va., and Kathryn Wainwright of Baltimore, Md.

Fred is also survived by nine grandchildren: Roger Clement Jr., Christine McArdle, Brian Clement, Mark Clement, Shannon Bayona, Brittany Voyles, Ashley Debrosse, Courtney Demos and Jason Hentrich. He also has 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. He prayed for each of them, by name, every day.

Fred is predeceased by his three sisters and their husbands: Aleda Currie (Donald), Harriett Macdonald (Francis) and Winnifred Marsters (Irvine).

After his military service, where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic, Fred served as the first president of the Maine Stock Car Association and owned and sometimes drove ’36 and ’39 Fords that raced weekly at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. In the mid-1950s, he a built a camp at Beech Hill Pond in Otis, Maine, a spot much enjoyed by his family for many years, where they sped around the lake in their 1960 Glaspar G-3 ski boat powered by a 35 HP Evinrude at the breakneck speed of 33 mph. He supported his family by working as a mechanic for Champion Motors in Portland, American Can Company, and then Motor Insurance Corporation, a division of General Motors, for 32 years.

Fred will be remembered for his hale and hearty greetings, his devotion to his family, his trust in God, and his gratitude for his country. He was an excellent baseball player and golfer and learned to in-line skate in his 70s. In his retirement, he enjoyed reading, Bible Study, singing hymns, helping friends and family with carpentry and mechanical projects, and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He will be remembered for his strength of character and strong convictions about right and wrong. When his Army roommate was persecuted and attacked for his Jewish faith, Fred deployed his tenacity to fight the attackers in defense of his friend. He continued to stand up for what was true and just for his entire life as he walked closely with Jesus.

He was especially grateful for the care given to him by Cheryl and Steve, with whom he lived for the last several years. Fred will be greatly missed, and as his friends and family mourn his loss, we rejoice in the knowledge of his salvation, and in the assurance that he is in heaven.