James Perry Fraser

James Perry Fraser, son of James Fraser and Zephina Chute Fraser, passed away at the Gorham House Nursing Home, Gorham, ME on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at the age of 84. Perry attended the Clinton, Massachusetts Schools, graduating with Highest Honors from the Clinton High School, and then entered Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. He graduated from WPI in 1943, having participated in an accelerated course leading to service in the US Naval Reserve during World War II. He served in Brazil (Lighter than Air maintenance) and as catapult officer on an Aircraft Carrier in the Pacific arena. Following the end of World War II he attended Cornell University, graduating in 1949 with a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.For 29 years he was employed by General Electric departments in the Schenectady, NY area, first in Steam Turbine development and later at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory carrying out research on engines for Nuclear Submarines. He moved from General Electric to Mechanical Technologies, Inc. of Latham, NY spending the 5 years leading up to his retirement working on the development of the Stirling Engine for use in automobiles. During his years in Schenectady he was a volunteer in VITA, a group developing solar stoves and irrigation systems for 3rd World countries.In 1956 he became a member of the First Unitarian Society in Schenectady, NY and was active in that church until his move to Maine in 1986. He then became active in the Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church, remaining a member there until his death. At the Sanford Church he chaired the Building and Grounds Committee during a several year project to upgrade church facilities, chaired the Social Concerns Committee for a number of years and served twice on church Search Committees. When the Frasers moved to Shapleigh, Maine from the Schenectady, NY area in 1986, Perry designed and then helped build their new home next door to their son, Alan - a home designed to use passive solar heating. During the years in Shapleigh, Perry had the pleasure of watching his two grandsons grow from babyhood to their teen years and enjoyed his granddaughter's occasional visits from England. Perry was a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the World Watch Institute, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Peace Action Maine and the National Resources Defense Council. He was vitally concerned with sustainability of the earth, peace in the world, and social justice; and supported many organizations concerned with those causes. He lived his beliefs, moving to research on Stirling automobile engines, rather than continue to work on submarine engines, and designing his own passive solar home.. He will best be remembered by his family and friends for his social conscience, his creativity, and his non-judgmental, supportive, considerate character. Survivors include Elizabeth Hamilton Fraser, his wife of 59 years, his children, F. Jean Fraser Small of Gorham, Maine, Alan H. Fraser of Buxton, ME, Barbara S. Fraser of West Newfield, ME, sons-in-law Christian Small and Timothy DeCoteau, a sister, Frances Fraser Taylor of Brevard, NC, three grandchildren, Gregory Fraser, Jeffrey Fraser and Sabrina Small, three nephews and three nieces, as well as cousins living in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church in Sanford, Maine. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to either the Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church J. Perry Fraser Building Preservation Fund, P.O. Box 32, Sanford, Maine 04073 or to the World Watch Institute, 1776 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, DC 20036. To send the family a message of condolence, please click the Condolence tab at left.