Frederick Louis Picot Jr. Obituary

Frederick Louis Picot Jr. passed away on May 2, 2026. He was 89. He was a victim of mesothelioma, contracted from asbestos exposure during his Navy and fire department service.

A proud son of the Bronx, New York City, he was born in Hunts Point Hospital in 1936 to Eleanor and Frederick Louis Picot Sr. He leaves behind his devoted life partner of 40 years, Patricia Shakiban, his son, Steven Picot of Tampa, FL, his daughter, Susan Fries of Tucson, AZ and three grandsons he loved: Stevie Picot, Ben Picot and Connor Fries. His brother, Robert Picot, predeceased him.

He was a proud Navy veteran and served on destroyers out of Norfolk and Newport on several Mediterranean deployments in the late 1950s. In 1962, while serving in the reserves, he was called back to participate in the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Fred was a decorated New York City Firefighter who served 16 years in Engines 41 and 81 and Ladder 46 during the "war years" when the South Bronx was burning down. He received a line-of-duty injury that caused him to medically retire in 1976. He later served in security guard roles for Owl Security and GE, as well as a courier for Federal Express.

He enjoyed a long retirement in Greenville, South Carolina and indulged in fast cars, while always going the speed limit.

Fred was known for his one-liners. When asked how old he was, he'd say, "I'm so old I was a waiter at the Last Supper.". During his illness, he'd say "I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in."He loved his family, his country and was a devoted patriot. The Celebration of Life will be a family affair.

Cherished family would like to share: "It is with deep sadness that we have received news of the passing of Fred. Our thoughts are with you in this difficult time. "Freddy boy" was a single caste product. There will never be anyone else like him. He was funny, cynical, stubborn, and a person we thoroughly enjoyed being around and being with. For myself, he was a link to a wonderful past, a time filled with the characters of my youth, a particular place and mindset. For Aine and I, Fred possessed a wonderful ability to see the humorous and absurd in people and situations. Hopefully, his life's end was not in tormenting physical suffering. Though occasionally I talked with Fred about religion, its inadequacies, and some of its more glaring contradictions, he was still a man, in my opinion, of spiritual underpinning and fortitude. Those sentiments may not have manifested themselves in prayers, services, or novenas and the like, but I sincerely believe that God will be merciful in adjudicating his human faults and shortcomings. Rest in peace old friend...".