Frederick Luverne Panzenhagen

Frederick Luverne Panzenhagen, age 96, of Athens died peacefully Sunday, November 6, 2022 

Fred was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend of many. 

He worked as a high school mathematics teacher in his early career, followed by service in the U.S. Army where he was stationed in Fort Lee, Virginia as a Corporal who was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and honorably discharged.  After the Army, he earned a degree in engineering and worked for over 25 years as a statistical engineer for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft/United Technologies, first in Hartford, Connecticut and later, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As the statistical engineer, he had the distinct honor to work on the Apollo program with NASA and met the early astronauts.  He next worked on the F14, F15 and F16 fighter jet engines for the Air Force while employed at United Technologies.

As a child Fred was taught bridge by his parents, and became enamored with the game, eventually becoming a master player and director of weekly bridge games for many years in Palm Beach Gardens and Riviera Beach, Florida, as well as on several cruise ships.  Fred also served on the Board of Directors of his residential community, The Waterford, in Juno Beach, Florida where he also directed and taught bridge with joy to the many residents and friends there.

Fred was preceded in death by his father and mother, Mangnus Frederick and Ruth Froehlich Panzenhagen.  Fred’s loving wife of 72 years, Marjorie Ellen Panzenhagen, passed in 2021, and his siblings Norman Panzenhagen, Dorothea Tostrud Stream, Ruth Graham, and dear friend, Adrian Dorch also preceded Fred to Our Heavenly Father. 

He is survived by daughters Karen Lackey and Janis Panzenhagen Puglisi;

Grandchildren Anastasia Avello, Nikolaos Strickland, Kathryn Shaver, and Sasha Webb;

Great Grandchildren Kloe, Landen, Ethan, and Nolan Shaver; Madalyn, Noah and Natalie Strickland, and Ava and Claire Webb;

Other family include Don Panzenhagen, Kathleen Imhoff, Gail Stream, Bill Graham, Carole Graham-Williams, Kathi Graham, Tana and Rick Phillips, Kenneth House, Glenn Bublitz, Perry Bublitz, Kurt Bublitz and Tim Bublitz. 

A Celebration of Life announcement will be forthcoming in the New Year and will be held in Athens, TN.

The family requests remembrances and photos be posted within Fred’s icon at www.zieglerfuneralhome.com

Honorary remembrances may be made to either the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or to Hearth Hospice, 2700 Executive Park NW, Cleveland, TN 37312. 

Ziegler Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Frederick Laverne Panzenhagen.