Frederick Terry Birch

January 4, 1954 – January 29, 2025 – Fred was born the 4th child of 6 to Pat & Ernie Birch on an Air Force Base in Japan on Jan. 4, 1954. His Air Force family moved around the PNW until 1963, when they settled in Colton, Oregon.

Colton was home until he joined the U.S. Army. During his enlistment he took emergency leave to come home and donate a kidney to his dad. When stationed in Germany he met his first wife, Beate Rommel. He brought her home to Colton where they married in Dec. 1978 and raised three kids – 2 daughters and a son.

His years in Colton were busy. In addition to his full-time job, he raised cows on the little family “farm”, fished, golfed, was assistant Scoutmaster for a few years, and built a large addition to the parents’ home to house his wife & kids. Fred worked for Omark Industries (Later Blount) in Milwaukie/Clackamas, Oregon for many years.

After a divorce, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree (with honors) from Oregon Institute of Technology, completing it in December 2002. With his new qualifications, his company sent him to China to run a plant there.

Retirement brought him home to Oregon for a while. Next he moved to Thailand were the weather was perfect, the golfing was great, and the cost of living was more affordable. In April 2017 he married a Thai woman named Yui.

He passed away from kidney and heart disease on January 29, 2025, at his home in Thailand with his wife by his side.

Fred was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Louise Shindledecker. He is survived by his wife, Yui, his daughters, Tina LeFebvre & Nicole Birch (Andy Lindenburger), his son, Tim Birch (Maryssa), 3 grandsons, Andrew Birch, Jasper Birch & Luke Lindenburger (1 from each of his children), 4 siblings, Cathy (Dennis) Corwin, Chris (Teresa) Birch, Gina Birch (Ray Cooper) & Bonnie Birch (Joe Fram), and brother-in-law, Wayne Shindledecker, plus a large extended family and a lifetime’s worth of friends. And let’s not forget his dog, Fred (Fresh). We will miss him.