Dr. Frederick William Shillinger, 97, passed away Jan. 31 at his residence at the Colonnades Health Care Facility in Charlottesville, Virginia. Son of Frederick Ambrose Shillinger and Ellen Hopkins Blake Shillinger, he was born Dec. 18, 1924, in Easton, Maryland. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Ruthellen Fitzgerald Shillinger, and his siblings, Dr. Frances-Anne Cerfoy and Dr. Robert Blake Shillinger. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Shillinger grew up in Easton, Maryland, and was orphaned at an early age. Showing early intellectual promise, he was awarded an academic scholarship from the state of Maryland and entered Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, in September 1941, at the age of 16. Two years later, he was selected to attend medical school as part of the U.S. Navy’s V-12 College Training Program because the war had accelerated the need for physicians. He was immediately graduated from college and entered George Washington Medical School in 1943.

In 1950, he was called to active duty in the U.S. Navy and served on Guam, treating the wounded being evacuated from the Korean War. He served on Guam until 1953.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he specialized in pathology. Early in his career he worked in hospitals in Bethesda, Maryland; Charleston, West Virginia; Hampton, Virginia; and Hagerstown, Maryland.

Dr. Shillinger later returned to government service, working at Veteran’s Administration Hospitals as Chief of Pathology at Bath, New York, and Martinsburg West Virginia. He retired in 1996.

Dr. Shillinger is survived by his children, Dr. Kathleen Culler (Dr. Michael Culler) of Hopkinton; Freda Sutton (James) of Navarre, Florida; Dr. Anne Shillinger (Dr. Fred Capps) of Staunton, Virginia; and LTC-Ret. Michael Shillinger (LTC-Ret. Lisa Lemza) of Chattanooga, Tennessee; grandchildren Rose Bigelow (Matthew Bigelow), Matthew Sutton, Dr. Mitchell Culler, Dr. Marianne Capps (Austin Schaffer), Dr. Katie Sutton; and great-grandchildren Kate and Emma Bigelow.

Burial was private in Rest Haven Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland, with a celebration of life to be held at a future date.

Memorials can be made to Community Free Clinic, 249 Mill Street, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 or St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 224 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

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