Obituary of Frederick Michael Miesowicz

Frederick Miesowicz, 74, died peacefully in his sleep on December 17, 2023. Born in Albany, NY to Henry and Josephine Pitcherale Miesowicz on March 6, 1949, he was the oldest of four children. His grandparents, Anna and Anthony Pitcherale, instilled in him a great love of learning and were primary caregivers for Fred as his parents both worked. He graduated from Vincentian Institute in Albany, NY where he played basketball and baseball and developed his lifelong love of chemistry. At Siena College, he graduated first in his class in 1970 with a BS in Chemistry. During his college years, he spent summers at a lab at Union College mentored by Alan Maycock. Having received a National Science Foundation Fellowship, Fred continued his studies at Harvard University where, under the mentorship of Konrad Bloch, he earned a PhD in Chemistry. Throughout his time at Harvard, Fred served in the Army Reserve as a medic and completed his six years as a weekend-warrior.

Fred married his college sweetheart, Christine Maguire, in September 1971 and for 52 years they built a life of love, raising three children, moving throughout the East Coast as Fred pursued a career as a research biochemist in the immunology field. After completing his PhD, Fred was employed at E.I. DuPont Nemours & Company where he first worked on automated diagnostic testing and later managed both cellular immunotherapy and immunodiagnostic R&D groups. Fred believed in the ‘walk-about’ style of management and he would never ask a report to do anything he wouldn’t do himself. His door was always open for those with whom he worked to lend an ear for any type of issue, a trait that endeared him to many.

After a time at Terumo, where he worked on a sterile blood processing device, he joined Cellcor, a Newton, MA-based company. Here he worked on a cellular therapy for kidney cancer believing that his skills in biochemistry were needed in the battle against cancer, the disease that had taken his grandfather. While the therapy extended the lives of many, in clinical trials it was unable to surpass the then standard of care and was discontinued. Fred, then, served as Vice President and General Manager of Hybridon Specialty Products before taking a position as Vice President of US Operations with the Israeli firm of Gamida-Cell Ltd., a stem cell company. In 2003 Argos Therapeutics offered Fred the opportunity to work on a new cellular approach to kidney cancer. This was unfinished business for Fred and he jumped at the chance. He was Vice President of Manufacturing and Chief Operating Officer at Argos and retired in 2016. Through his professional life, he was afforded the opportunity to travel the world and experience many cultures. After retirement, Fred and Christine moved to FL near Christine’s family and the beach where fishing occupied his early morning hours and consulting continued to keep him connected to the field.

A man of many passions and a competitive spirit, Fred had a rich life of pastimes. He enjoyed being outdoors-fishing, throwing a football, playing basketball, working on the yard or just sitting by the pool. Fred was always ready to shoot a few hoops, throw in a

fishing line, chainsaw a tree, or grab a beer. His accordion-playing and dance moves were legend in the family and he could just as easily teach you a molecular structure as a new yoyo trick. He loved collecting and researching fountain pens and needed them, he insisted, so that his handwriting might be somewhat legible. He had an endless library of movie quotes and “Fred-isms” which he recited on cue and vast and impeccable taste in music. Always ready to listen or tell a joke, he made all feel at ease. Fred approached life with intensity and zest and believed in offering his best to the world-often telling his children “do not bury your talents.”.

He is survived by his wife, Christine; children Jean Miesowicz of London, UK, Carolyn McCarthy (James) of Norwell, MA, and Michael Miesowicz (Telicia Hunter) of Durham, NC; four grandchildren, Scarlett, Marlowe, and Isabel McCarthy and Payson Hunter in whom he delighted; his siblings David (Gretchen Haas) Miesowicz, Carol (Gerald) McDonald, Mary Jane Miesowicz, and sister-in-law Bonnie Cellery Miesowicz, all of the Albany NY area. He was a beloved brother-in-law to Christine’s many siblings; and fun Uncle Freddie to many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents and grandparents.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 11:00am at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 2 Summer St. Cohasset, MA.