Froderberg led Western through tragedy

Albert John Froderberg, a professor and administrator at Western for more than 40 years, died peacefully at home in Bellingham on Oct. 22, 2015. He was 80 years old.

Froderberg, a mathematics professor, administrator and lobbyist, was known for his humor, his humanity and his excellent political skills. 

He was probably best known for his leadership after a plane crash took the lives of three top WWU administrators in the fall of 1987. After the deaths of President G. Robert Ross, Vice President Don Cole, and Vice President Jeanene DeLille, Froderberg moved  from the position of acting provost to interim president. Few likely realized that he had himself narrowly missed being on that plane, and that he had lost one of his closest friends in President Ross.

Despite what must have been terrible inner grief, Froderberg’s was a healing presence at the university. He later represented Western in Olympia, where he was able to secure millions of dollars for operations and capital projects. He served as Western’s director of Planned Giving and continued to offer “wise counsel” long after he retired in 2009.

Froderberg is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary, his daughter Annie (and wife, Renata), grandsons Kieran and Declan, and his brother Ted (and wife, Jayann).