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Fred Kinch was born in Westfield, New Jersey, into a well-established family. Both his father and grandfather were the primary physicians of the area. (His Father was one of the first people to get a telephone in Westfield and his phone number was “11”). However, Fred opted to pursue an engineering career and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Class of 1923, with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. His first job was with White Motors where he was an engineer for heavy trucks. He subsequently moved to General Motors where he was involved with advanced mechanics and technology.
Even though he was 40 when the United States entered World War II, Fred was pressed into service as a technical advisor in support of the American and British armies. His detailed understanding of the complexity of army mechanized equipment was invaluable. In 1942 he was assigned to the British 8th Army who were fighting General Rommel and his German Panzer divisions in North Africa. For his service there the British Government awarded him the following: The 1939-1945 Star, The African Star, and The British War Medal. Interestingly, even though he was not part of the military, he wore a uniform with special collar and shoulder brass for technical advisors. In 1943, he went to England to help the Allies prepare for D-Day and then to support their operations in Europe. When his mother died in August 1944, he returned to Westfield and renewed his civilian career. Fred eventually moved to Summit and besides his normal duties in New York City, General Motors asked him to travel to Brazil for six months to assist with the construction of a major car and truck engine plant. He continued to work with that company for the rest of his career, retiring after 42 years. He was married to Ruth Elizabeth Kinch (Ferguson) and was the father of two children, a daughter and a son. His daughter, Saranne, married and had two children; unfortunately, she passed away at an early age. His son, Frederick IV, attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology like his Father and served in the United States Air Force for three years. He lives in the Boston area.
There are multiple generations of the Kinch Family buried at Fairview Cemetery and the family monument is a lasting tribute to their many contributions here and abroad. Frederick III is notable among them for his work in private industry and contributions during World War II.
