Obituary of Frederick Lackland
Frederick William Lackland, age 85, passed away at his home in Basking Ridge, NJ on Sunday morning, August 20, 2017. He was born in Muhlenberg Hospital on October 17, 1931 in Plainfield NJ. He went to school locally and, after graduating from North Plainfield High school, went on to Lehigh University where he became a member of the Delta Phi Fraternity and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Fred was an avid member of the Boy Scouts and was especially proud of his achievement in becoming an Eagle Scout and receiving the Order of the Arrow. The Boy Scout Pledge and the Scout Motto were two of the things he held as sacred and they defined the way he lived all of his life. He joined the Army in January 1954 as a 'Specialist Second Class' and was assigned to tank maintenance until his supervisors found out he could type. He was then, summarily transferred to the 'Personnel Dept.' He received his Honorable Discharge from service in December 1955 and in 1956 started a business with his brother Dave called 'Lackland Brothers Incorporated'.
Fred soon after met the love of his life, Donna Sarkison, and in 1959 they were married. Fred and Donna shared a deep love of travel. They travelled the world together but especially enjoyed the southern hemisphere - seeing every country there at least once if not two or even three times. Fred was recently asked about which trip was his favorite and he said, without a doubt, his favorite was the first trip he took with Donna as a married couple. It was a two-month trip across Europe in 1960. He said they saw and learned more during that trip than any other. It was made particularly special in Italy when they saw the Torch Bearer running for the 1960 Olympics in Sorrento and then, in Naples discovered Donna was pregnant with their first child. Fred and Donna purchased a small piece of Pennsylvania lakefront property on Twin Lakes in the early 1960's and over the years, Fred became a top-notch sailor - winning countless races during their summers there. He served as the President of the Homeowner's Association in the larger lake community, he was active and held office in his own neighborhood association (Twin Cove) and was also a founding member of the Twin Lakes Conservancy for which he acted as Vice President until his retirement. This conservancy is an organization established to manage lands, which were/are purchased in order to preserve the quality and privacy of Twin Lakes as a whole. Fred not only continued to be active in his local communities in NJ and PA, he also continued to work his business until his death. He loved transacting business and was always trying to improve his knowledge starting with his work as a home and industrial site builder to solar farms, investment strategies and tax liens.
Fred is survived by his beautiful and loving wife Donna, his 3 children Linda (von Thaden), Michael and his Anne and Bruce and his wife Jennifer; 9 grandchildren, Maximillian, Anastasia, Daniel, Evan, Sebastian, Alyssa, Andrew, Wolfgang and Elizabeth; a nephew, David Lackland; a niece, Jennifer Lackland.
A Wake/Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 23 from 10:00 am until 12 Noon at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd, Watchung, NJ (908) 756-0017. This will be followed by a funeral service at 12 Noon. Interment will be immediately after at the Somerset Hills Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made in his name in lieu of flowers to the Twin Lakes Conservancy, C/O Glyn Eisenhauer, PO Box 505, Milford, PA 18337.
