1941 – 2015

STARKS — Elizabeth A. Frederic, “Liz,” 73, died at her home on Sunday morning, Jan. 11.

Liz was born on Feb. 12, 1941, in Long Island City, N.Y., a twin daughter to the late John and Mildred (Bauer) Corbett Jr. She was always proud to share her birthday with Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.

Liz grew up in Floral Park, N.Y., and often used the Belmont Raceway as her playground. She graduated from Flora Park Memorial High School, where she played the clarinet in the band. Liz and her sister, Elaine, wrote the school song, which is still in use.

Education was very important to her and she earned four college degrees: a B.S. in home economics from the State University of New York in Oneonta, a B.A. in geography from the University of Maine at Farmington, an M.A. in nutrition from New York University and an M.A. in geography from the University of Connecticut. During her academic career, Liz received many scholarships and honors and was captain of the Oneonta basketball team.

Liz taught home economics in Greenlawn, N.Y., worked as a social services consultant for New York City and was a Nassau County, N.Y., day care inspector. In 1969, she and her first husband, Dr. Kenneth Anderson, whom she married in 1963, moved to Skowhegan, where she was office manager for his chiropractic practice.

From 1994 to 2003, Liz worked as adjunct geography faculty at UMF and was a teaching assistant for her second husband (married in 1994), Dr. Paul Frederic, at the University of Namibia in Africa and Beijing University of Technology in China. During this same time, she was the education coordinator for the Maine Association of Conservation Districts and Envirothon Program. She also owned Liz Maps, a cartography business, and published many maps.

Liz was a member of the Association of American Geographers and the New England — St. Lawrence Valley Geographical Society (and former Maine representative and pre-college outreach coordinator), and a Maine Geographic Alliance adviser.

Her professional publications included work on the Cuban sugar industry, grazing systems in Namibia and Mongolia and natural resource-related education in Maine. Liz participated in many academic conferences around the world, often making presentations on such diverse topics as reuse of dairy barns, water quality and African land ownership. In 2001, she received the Outstanding Forest Stewardship Award from the Maine Forest Service.

Professional and recreational travel was of great joy to her. This included Cuba, the Caribbean, southern Africa, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Europe and North America. Liz’s hobbies are difficult to distinguish from work; care of home and yard, gardening and cooking. Reading was a wonderful pleasure, as demonstrated by her active membership in the Starks Book Club. She also enjoyed time spent with her family.

Liz’s community service entailed food and clothing judge at the Skowhegan State Fair, Den Leader for the Skowhegan Cub Scouts, director of the Skowhegan Junior Women’s Club, grant writer for the Starks Library and Community Children’s Program, director of the Starks Library Committee and a member of the Starks building and comprehensive planning committees.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Paul Frederic, of Starks; her son, Bradford Anderson of Huntington Beach, Calif.; brother, William (Ann) Corbett, of Floral Park, N.Y.; sister, Elaine Peterson, of California; stepchildren, Irene (Robert) Tyler of Belmont, N.H., Paula (Douglas) Withey of New Vineyard and Joseph (Melissa) Frederic of Starks; stepgrandchildren, Ian, Isaac, Taylor, Courtney, William and Amelia; step-great-granddaughter, Aiyana; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Liz was predeceased by her parents and her ex-husband, Dr. Kenneth Anderson.

Liz lived life as an adventure and was a classic example of “quicker than a New York minute.” She will be missed by all who knew her.

Her family thanks Dr. David Rice, the staff of Franklin Memorial Hospital and Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, and friends and neighbors for their care and support.

Condolences and tributes may be shared on her memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.