CAPT, USN (ret) John Edward Fraser

John Fraser passed away suddenly on October 6, 2023, of a suspected pulmonary embolus in Clearwater, Florida. He was 69 years old.

Born on November 20, 1953 at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, he was the youngest of three children of his mother, the former Gloria Ann Morch. Like his father, William Edmund Fraser, CAPT, USN (retired), John was a proud graduate of Brown University in Rhode Island. From his high school in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he'd made a name as a track star, he matriculated in the fall of ’71. While at Brown, he joined Phi Delta Beta, becoming and remaining a lifelong friend of his fraternity brothers.

Following in his urologist surgeon father's footsteps, John chose a career in the Navy. Two years after graduating from the prestigious Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies, John was accepted in the Naval Officers Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island where, upon graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign, sworn in by his proud father, with his proud mother and sister present, and cheered on by his Phi Delt brothers. John served with distinction for 30 years active duty, retiring as a U.S. Navy Captain. Initially a Surface Warfare Officer onboard the frigate USS Ouellet for his first 2 years, he volunteered to train and serve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tech. As such, he commanded units charged to clear WWII ordnance in exotic locations to include Palau and Europe, while based in various duty stations like Hawaii, Guam, and Italy, rendering safe unexploded ordnance both on land and in the sea and recovering intelligence from downed enemy spy planes.

Over his years of service, he was groomed in his U.S. Navy component's command track, advancing in rank, and achieving the highest command position of Commodore over his beloved Navy EOD community. From 1994 - 1996, he was EOD Mobile Unit Eight's Commanding Officer at Sigonella, Italy. From 1997 - 1999, John served as part of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. In 1999 - 2001, he commanded the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where he oversaw the design and construction of the second EOD Memorial, entombing transferred bricks from the original EOD Memorial in Indianhead, Maryland. As Commodore from 2002 - 2004, John was Commanding Officer of EOD Group Two, responsible for all Navy EOD activity in the Atlantic theater, when the 2nd Gulf (Iraq) War broke out. He led from the field and with a Navy EOD team was embedded for a period with an Army unit in Bagdad, Iraq. While he was Commodore, EODGRU2, John considered a highlight of his career his command role in the recovery of the turret and guns from the USS Monitor, an ironclad warship built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War, the first such ship commissioned by the Navy, where it had sunk in the waters off Cape Hatteras in 1862. Diving to ~300-foot depths with an elite Navy team of surface-supplied divers, John declared, “Best dive I’ve ever made.”

After retiring from active duty in 2007, John continued to serve our nation, first as a defense contractor, then as a civilian Senior Program Analyst attached to the US Special Operations Command headquartered on MacDill AFB, FL.

In 2002, John married Sandra Medina Sayson, an active duty US Air Force physician - twice, for good measure, determined to have her, after 21 proposals.

John was renowned as a generous, considerate, and adventuresome man, an avid reader of history, and a gentleman who enjoyed testing and sharing his encyclopedic knowledge. John liked nothing better than showing his family and many of his wide-ranging circles of friends an absolutely explosively wonderful time.

John is survived by Sandy and her daughter, Crystalle; two sons from a previous marriage, Ian and Sean; his daughter-in-law, Fredricka, and 6 granddaughters, Alexis, Trinity, Alayna, Kinleigh, Victoria and Rory; his sister, Pam and her husband, David; 3 nephews, Jason, Jeremey and Paul and 2 nieces, Margaret and Juliet; and 4 grand nieces and nephews, Morgan, Brooklyn, Emilia and David.

An 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM memorial service for John will be held Friday, November 10, 2023 at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 2853 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater, FL 33759, followed by a committal service from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM across the road at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park, 2860 Sunset Point Road.

All are welcome to two Celebrations of Life gatherings in John's honor:

The first is immediately after the Friday services on November 10, 2023 from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, back at the Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home.

The second will be a Potluck Brunch Celebration of Life starting at 11:00 AM, Saturday, 11 Nov at the Brookfield at Estancia HOA Clubhouse, 3010 Pepperwood Lane, Clearwater, FL 33761

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.sylvanabbey.com for the Fraser family.

In lieu of flowers or cards, if you'd like to honor John, please consider donating to one of John and Sandy’s favorite charities—-

Compassion in Jesus' Name, 12290 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921

John had been gifting to Sandy the sponsorship of Filipina children from kindergarten through high school graduation over the last 22 years they were married.

Giving is easy (you can choose)

1. Go to compassion.com/ChristmasWish

2. Scan the QR code with your phone's camera (points to

https://www.compassion.com/christmas-gift/)

3. Call them at 800-336-7676

Indicate donations are in John's name by supplying his donor number: John 09174821

Our current Filipina child we've been sponsoring thru school is: Jane Rose PH191200080

Or to "Wounded Warriors"