Fred C. “Big Mac” McCutcheon Jr., of Ambridge, passed away Friday, April 1, 2011, in Heritage Valley Sewickley. Born October 9, 1924, in Sharpsburg, PA, he was the son of the late Frederick Collier McCutcheon, Sr. and Ame Taylor Mallasee. He was a 1941 graduate of Moon High School and attended Juniata College. Fred worked for the Penn Central and Conrail Railroad as a yardmaster in Conway. Fred joined the fire department in Moon Township, Allegheny County in 1940 at the age of 16. In 1968, he became a member of the Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Company and became a State Fire Instructor in 1975, having amassed over 2,000 hours of fire service certified training and 14 college credits. He was currently certified to teach at the National Fire Academy, Emergency Management Institute and State Fire Academy courses. He has or was currently instructing certified fire science courses for Allegheny County Fire Academy, Community College of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, the former Williamsport Community College, Butler County Community College, Bucks County Community College, Community College of Beaver County, Harrisburg Area Community College, Blair County Fire School, Erie County Fire School, Fayette County Fire School, Greene County Fire School, Jefferson County Fire School, River Valley Fire School, Southwestern Pennsylvania Firemen’s Training Institute, Tri-County Firemen’s Association Fire School and Warren County Fire School. He was the current treasurer of the Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Company; treasurer of the Relief Association, Western Director and charter member of the Keystone Chapter of Fire Service Instructors, past president of the Fireman’s Legislative Federation of the State of Pennsylvania and served on the Beaver County Fire Police. He served as the three-year director for the Firemen’s Legislative Federation of PA Officers.
Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were his brother, James William McCutcheon, and his former wives, Beullah Moreland McCutcheon and Evelyn I. Dobson McCutcheon. Surviving are his children, Elizabeth Ann Rosenthaler and Kathleen Hope McCutcheon, both of Moon Township, Frederick Collier McCutcheon III and his son, Daniel Patrick McCutcheon, both of Colorado Springs, CO; his other children include Timothy Evan McCutcheon and Evonne of Bell Acres, Thomas Grant McCutcheon, Patricia Ann McCutcheon, both of Ambridge; stepdaughter, Kathleen Dobson of Ambridge; grandchildren, Timothy Evan McCutcheon Jr. and Chelsea Ranae McCutcheon, both of Glenwillard, and Justin Tyler McCutcheon, of Ambridge, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received today from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. in the JOHN SYKA FUNERAL HOME, 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, where a funeral service will be conducted on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The Rev. David West of Butler will officiate. Private entombment will be held in the family mausoleum in the Union Dale Cemetery, Pittsburgh. Members of the Big Sewickley Creek Fire Department will conduct a memorial service today at 7 p.m. in the funeral home. If desired, memorial contributions are suggested to the Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Department, 1850 Big Sewickley Creek Road, Sewickley, PA 15143.