Alfred Zweidler's Obituary
Alfred Zweidler passed away peacefully on December 13th, 2022 in Orlando, Florida at the age of 85. Born and raised in Dübendorf, a growing community near Zürich, Switzerland, he and his wife, Irène, relocated to the United States in 1966 following the completion of his PhD in Botany/Biology. He had a long and productive career as a Cancer Research Scientist at the Institute for Cancer Research (now Fox Chase Cancer Center) and held several patents related to this field of study (proteomic techniques for resolving cancer proteins, particularly histone variants). ‘Fredy’, as he was known, was a life-long learner, avid bocce and lawn bowler, golfer, and a voracious reader of science fiction (e.g. Alan Dean Foster and Isaac Asimov), fictional sea captains (e.g. Patrick O’Brian), and fictional history (e.g. James Michener). He enjoyed watching Saturday morning cartoons (especially the Jetsons!) and travelling around the world to experience unique cultures and climates. After 30 years in the USA, he retired, became a US citizen, and moved to Florida in 1997. Fredy and Irène curated an amazing botanical garden surrounding their peaceful home in Eustis, Florida, which features several dozen varieties of bromeliads, citrus and exotic fruit trees, and many other tropical plants. His love of travel, photography, and videography became a primary activity/hobby as he explored local springs and far-flung destinations in South America, Europe, and beyond with Irène.
Fredy is survived by his wife of 59 years, Irène, and their three children: Regula (spouse Kevin and daughters Kelsey and Shannon), Patrick (spouse Alida and son Alexander), and Stephan (spouse Anne); Sister Verena (spouse Emil and children Silvio & Sandra); Sister-in-Law Caroline and children Lynn and Jenny. He was predeceased by his brother Ernst.
A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Mt Dora, FL at 2PM on January 3, 2023. Family and Friends are invited to celebrate his life with us. Flowers can be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 222 W. 6th Ave, Mt. Dora, FL 32757. Donations in lieu of Flowers can be made to: The American Cancer Society or the Temple University School of Medicine.
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