The Alumni Office was saddened to learn of the passing of Fred Piderit, a dedicated educator who taught at both La Grande Boissière and La Châtaigneraie. Fred was a valued member of the English Department and served as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator at La Châtaigneraie.

He also contributed to our special edition of Echo Magazine celebrating the 50th anniversary of the IB, sharing his insights and experience with warmth and generosity.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time.

You can leave your messages to the family on the memory wall of the online obituary here.

(En français ci-dessous.)

Frederick William Piderit passed away in Genolier, Switzerland, on June 23, 2025, after a long illness. He is reunited with his parents, Fred W. Piderit and Mary McGinty Piderit, as well as his brother, Edward. His legacy lives on in his family and in the students and colleagues he touched during his decades as a teacher. 

Fred was born in Richmond Hill, New York, in 1943 and graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan. He earned his BA, MA and PhD in English Literature from Fordham University.

In 1968 he married Barbara, née Chuderski, and they settled in Connecticut. They had two daughters, “Sandy” Kristin Piderit and Lauren Troska-Piderit.

Fred was a teacher by profession, teaching English at Darien High School. He worked with colleagues there to develop the Alternative Learning Program (ALP) to support at-risk students. He was the kind of teacher who honed his craft, combining a dedication to high standards with a deep compassion for the circumstances of his students as individuals. He cultivated his students’ curiosity and engagement with patience and persistence.

Fred, Barbara and the girls moved to Switzerland in 1982 and over the decades that followed Fred taught at two campuses of the International School of Geneva, La Grande Boissière and La Châtaigneraie. As a member of the English Department and later Coordinator of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at La Châtaigneraie, he taught both English and a key IB course, Theory of the Knowledge (TOK). He was an active member of the SSP (Société Suisse des Professeurs de l’Enseignement Secondaire) and also taught English at the Geneva branch of Webster University. He was an ally of the active members of the CCT (Conventions Collectives de Travail), a union of teaching professionals.

The family lived first in Versoix, Geneva Canton, and later in Givrins, Vaud Canton. One of Fred’s great joys was sailing on Lake Geneva, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. In his personal life, Fred was a dedicated chef, a lifelong learner, and an enthusiastic storyteller. After retiring from teaching in 2007, he enjoyed travel, golf, writing, and learning new skills. His two works of historical fiction, Until Death Us Do Part and A Copper’s Casebook, were published in 2016. He continued to pursue new interests, including taking piano lessons and studying Italian to a level sufficient to read Dante’s Inferno in the original! He enjoyed sharing stories and music and books with his grandchildren, tutoring them after school, and offering driving practice.

Between 2010 and 2020 he served on the town council in Givrins. As a volunteer member of the ASBV (Association des Services Bénévoles Vaudois) in Nyon, he drove the handicapped and elderly from surrounding villages to medical appointments and also delivered meals to them.

He was stoic, preferring not to share the news of his cancer diagnosis widely and bravely confronting the difficulties of treatment with quiet acceptance.

Fred is survived by his wife of more than 57 years, Barbara; his sisters Mary Alanah Piderit, Juleen Flanigan (Ray Flanigan), Cecily Brancaccio (Al Brancaccio), Celeste Murphy, Ann Gibbs (Bill Gibbs), Clare Rubin, and Joie Piderit (Chris Morrison); his brothers John Piderit SJ, Francis Piderit (Ellen Kahn), and Tom Piderit (Marry Wynn-Ball); his daughters “Sandy” Kristin (Scott Kovatch) and Lauren Troska-Piderit; five grandchildren, Julia, Emily, Sam, Zac and Charlotte; and many nieces and nephews.

It is with joy and thanks that we honor and celebrate the life, love, wisdom and humor of our husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Fred.

Frederick William Piderit est décédé à Genolier en Suisse, le 23 juin 2025 suite à une longue maladie. Il rejoint ainsi ses parents, Fred W. Piderit et Mary McGinty Piderit, ainsi que son frère, Edward.

Il est né à Richmond Hill, New York, en 1943 et est diplômé du Xavier High School à Manhattan. Il a obtenu son baccalauréat, sa maîtrise et son doctorat en littérature anglaise à Fordham University.

Fred était enseignant de profession. En 1968, il épousa Barbara (née Chuderski) et ils s’installèrent dans le Connecticut, où il enseigna l’anglais à la Darien High School. Ils eurent deux filles, « Sandy » Kristin Piderit Kovatch et Lauren Troska-Piderit. Fred travailla avec ses collègues pour développer le Programme d’Apprentissage Alternatif (ALP) pour soutenir les étudiants à risque. Il était le genre de professeur qui perfectionnait son métier, alliant un dévouement envers des normes élevées à une profonde compassion pour la situation de ses élèves en tant qu’individus. Il cultivait la curiosité et l’engagement de ses élèves avec patience et persévérance.

En 1982, Fred et Barbara s’installerent en Suisse avec leurs filles et au fil des décennies, Fred enseigna à La Grande Boissière et La Châtaigneraie, sur deux campus de l’École Internationale de Genève. Il enseigna l’anglais ainsi qu’un programme clé du Baccalauréat

international, La théorie de la connaissance (TdC) et contribua à faire progresser les normes de la profession parmi ses collègues. Il enseigna également à la branche genevoise de Webster University. Il était allié avec les membres actifs du Conventions Collectives de Travail (CCT), un syndicat du personnel enseignant. 

Tout d’abord Fred et Barbara veçurent à Versoix, Canton de Genève, et déménagèrent à Givrins, Canton de Vaud. Ils apprécièrent la navigation sur le Lac Léman, aussi bien qu’en Méditerranéel, en Atlantique et dans les Caraïbes. Dans sa vie personnelle, Fred fut un chef dévoué, qui a gardé sa soif d’apprendre toute sa vie, et fut un conteur enthousiaste. Après avoir pris sa retraite en 2007, Fred aima voyager, jouer au golf, écrire et acquérir de nouvelles compétences, notamment en prenant des cours de piano et en étudiant l’italien! Il se voua à l’écriture et ses deux ouvrages de fiction historique, Until Death Us Do Part et A Copper’s Casebook, furent publiés en 2016. Il aimait partager des histoires, de la musique et des livres avec ses petits-enfants, leur donner des cours particuliers après l’école et leur proposer des cours de conduite automobile.

Entre 2010 et 2020, il siègea au Conseil communal de Givrins. Il était également chauffeur bénévole à l’Association des Services bénévoles vaudois (ASBV) de Nyon pour des handicapés et des personnes âgées qui avaient besoin d’aide, et leur livrait également des repas. 

Fred est resté très discret au sujet de sa maladie, l’affrontant courageusement et avec dignité.

Il laisse dans le deuil son épouse de 57 ans, Barbara; ses sœurs Mary Alanah Piderit, Juleen Flanigan (Ray Flanigan), Cecily Brancaccio (Al Brancaccio), Celeste Murphy, Anne Gibbs (Bill Gibbs), Clare Rubin et Joie Piderit (Chris Morrison); ses frères John Piderit SJ, Francis Piderit (Ellen Kahn) et Tom Piderit (Mary Wynn-Ball); ses filles «Sandy» Kristin Piderit (Scott Kovatch) et Lauren Troska-Piderit; cinq petits-enfants, Julia, Emily, Sam, Zac et Charlotte; ainsi que plusieurs neveux et nièces.

C’est avec joie et remerciements que nous honorons et célébrons la vie, l’amour, la sagesse et l’humour de notre mari, père, grand-père, frère et oncle, Fred.