Frederick Harold Batzold

October 26, 1944 - January 24, 2021

Frederick Harold Batzold passed away quietly in his home in Annapolis, Maryland on January 24, 2021 in the company of family, friends, and pets. He was 76 years old. The cause of death was complications from cancer. Fred was born in Queens, New York to Harold and Caroline Batzold. He leaves behind his spouse Nadine Chien and son Christopher Harold Batzold, and grandchildren Tucker and Lucy. He was previously married to Janice Batzold, the mother of his son. First and foremost, Fred deeply loved his grandchildren. They were the light of his life. His strongest spoken words in his last days was to tell them he loved them and to say good-bye to them. Fred was known to be a private yet gregarious person. He could talk to anyone and make them feel as though they had found a friend. His countenance was marked by his intelligence, patience, gentleness, kindness, and generosity. Fred was an excellent cook. His feeding of the multitudes was the stuff of local legend. He loved animals, in particular his golden retrievers Rocky, Zoe, and Chet. To the end they were faithful friends. Fred earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Syracuse University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Fred’s life’s work was dedicated to the pursuit of medical therapies to improve human health and well-being in the areas of infectious diseases such as HIV, malaria, and influenza. His career spanned 35 years of academic, government, and private industry positions in pharmaceutical discovery and development. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and had 36 scientific publications, book chapters, and abstracts. A great public servant, Fred served under Director Anthony Fauci as Acting Associate Director of the Therapeutics Research Program Division, Chief of Clinical Research Management, and Health Scientist Administrator at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the NIH. Fred retired in 2013 as Director of Project Management for PPD, a pharmaceutical development company in North Carolina, where he met Nadine. They married in 2010. Fred loved to travel and voraciously consumed the news and science. He was a regular at the Eastport Democratic Club and Eastport Yacht Club. Fred is best remembered for his unfailing sense of humor. Always ready with a joke, his wit sneaking into conversations unannounced. His most beloved travels were wildlife expeditions on National Geographic ships. Not only did he witness amazing birds, animals, and scenery, but he established lifelong friendships with some fellow passengers. A virtual memorial service for family and friends is being planned to celebrate Fred’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Fred’s memory to the Batzold Chien Charitable Fund, dedicated to support of STEM student education, online at https://cfaac.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=2148 Checks can be made payable to CFAAC with Batzold Chien Charitable Fund on the memo line, and mailed to the following address: Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 400, Annapolis, MD 21401.