Fred Hannula

Obituary Fred W. Hannula, 97, of Pine Knoll Shores, NC died on June 29, 2020 at Carteret Landing Assisted Living in Morehead City. He was born August 13, 1922 in Walpole, MA to Matti and Hilma (Koivuniemi) Hannula. Fred graduated from Walpole High School and attended Northeastern University before enlisting in the Army Air Force's meteorology program in 1942. After training in Grand Rapids, MI, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and taught in the meteorology program. In 1943, Fred became the commanding officer of the Army Air Force's weather station at Columbia Army Air Base in SC. After World War II, Fred returned to Northeastern University and completed his degree in mechanical engineering. His first employer was the Foxboro Company in Massachusetts. On June 19, 1949, he wed Janet M. Dean in Orleans, VT. They were married 59 years and had three children, Mark, Eric and Karen. They raised their family in New Jersey and Massachusetts while Fred built his career at RCA and the Laboratory for Electronics. Fred was intelligent and inventive. He was a voracious reader and consumer of news, and could quote poetry he learned in high school well into his 90's. He designed room-sized textile machinery and could fix almost anything. His favorite 'tool' was epoxy, which he used to fix everything, including the shoe he was wearing when he ran the lawnmower over his foot. He was universally acknowledged as a character. His parents emigrated from Finland via Ellis Island. Since they only spoke Finnish at home, he did not learn English until he started school. He joked that he never learned English and was very proud of his Finnish heritage. Fred and Janet moved to Pine Knoll Shores in 1982, where he indulged in his favorite activities of fishing and hunting. In later years, he loved philosophical discussions with friends over coffee at Dunkin Donuts. He is survived by his son, Mark Hannula and his wife, Robin, of Beaufort and his daughter, Karen Ryan of Little Compton, RI, as well as six grandchildren: Lindsay and Lee Anne Hannula, Brooke (Hannula) Van Lente, Allison Hannula, Haley (Hannula) Antill, and Matthew Ryan. He is also survived by ten great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Janet, in 2009 and his son Eric in 1987. There will be no service. Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.brooksfuneralhomeandcrematory.com Arrangements by Noe - Brooks Funeral Home and Crematory of Morehead City, NC. Services No Services Planned