Obituary of Fredrick Rossi

Fredrick Rossi, of Burlington, formerly of Brooklyn, NY, passed away peacefully on Sunday night, April 13, 2025. He was 84 years old.

Fred was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Anthony and Frances Rossi. He was educated in Brooklyn before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, serving four years as an Airman Second Class. He was stationed with the Strategic Air Command, 817th Air Division, at Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, NH.

During a day of R&R at Hampton Beach, Fred met the love of his life, Diane Dondero. He completed his military service in 1962, and they were married the following year. In 1966, they settled in their forever home in Burlington, MA. A lifelong learner, Fred pursued his education at Northeastern University, attending night classes while raising a young family. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and went on to complete his master’s degree.

Fred had a distinguished and accomplished career. Humbly beginning as a machinist at Polaroid, where his talents were quickly recognized. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a Senior Mechanical Engineer. At Polaroid, he worked on battery pack designs for their cameras before taking early retirement. Retirement, however, did not slow him down. He went on to work for Keurig, contributing to the design of Keurig’s K-Cup machines and later performed contract work for a variety of other companies.

Among his many achievements, Fred assisted the Smithsonian in designing a fix for the mirror array for the Hubble Space Telescope. His final position was at Entegris, a job he described as his “most enjoyable and rewarding”. Remarkably, Fred maintained a full 40-hour workweek until just before his 83rd birthday. He truly loved his work, the challenges it presented, and the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues. He was known for his inventive thinking and was named on numerous patents, earning deep respect from peers across the industry.

Outside of work, Fred cherished time with his family and fully embraced life. One of his favorite places was Wells, Maine, where he and Diane owned a beachside home for 16 years. They continued to return there every summer, renting homes after selling theirs. Fred loved fishing and often brought his son and later his grandsons along for boat trips, surfcasting, or fishing off the jetty. He appreciated both the challenge of fishing and the peace it brought, especially when shared with loved ones.

Fred was also an exceptional cook. He took joy in preparing meals for family and friends, with favorites like his seafood chowder, becoming staples at family gatherings. Each Christmas, he was proudly in charge of cooking a legendary prime rib that everyone raved about. He also played a central role in an annual guys’ weekend in Lisbon, NH, where he did much of the cooking—some say it was hard to tell whether it was the camaraderie or Fred’s meals that kept people coming back, including friends from as far as Canada.

Fred lived life on his own terms. While many counted down the days to retirement, Fred found joy in his work and purpose in his contributions. He was brilliant, warm, and witty, with a great sense of humor. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, a strong role model, and a provider who created countless cherished memories filled with laughter, love, and pride.

Fred was the beloved husband of 62 years of Diane (Dondero) Rossi. He was the loving father of Tina McDonough of Woburn and Stephen Rossi of Burlington. He was the father-in-law of Joseph McDonough and Diane Welch. He was the proud grandfather of Dominick McDonough and Shane Welch. He was the brother of Victor, Vincent, and Joseph Rossi all of New Jersey. He was also survived by many nieces, nephews, coworkers, and friends. 

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Friday, April 18 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Sullivan Funeral Home on Saturday, April 19 at Noon and will conclude with a burial with military honors at Pine Haven Cemetery in Burlington. For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net