DOVER - Frederick Christian Ruyter was born on Oct. 8, 1916, in Dover, Delaware, to Emma Heller, from Switzerland, and Dirk Ruyter, from the Netherlands. He died Mar. 16, 2011, at home surrounded by his loving family and friends. As a young boy, Fred and his family enjoyed cruises to the Netherlands to visit relatives. Fred was descended from the famous Dutch Admiral, Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter. Young Fred cared little for school, he would rather be fishing and enjoying nature, time for which he frequently found by skipping school. His poor attendance one year threatened his ability to pass, but an understanding teacher provided an alternative, compose an essay with the theme of "My Perfect Day". When Fred wrote a phenomenal theme with perfect grammar and sentence structure, and dispersed beautiful imagery throughout the essay, the teacher thought that anyone who could write so well deserved to pass, and he did. Fred chose surveying as a career so that he could work outside. He was self-taught and happily taught others the profession. He worked for the State of Delaware for 35 years and had his own private surveying business. At the time of his death, he was the oldest professional land surveyor in the state of Delaware. Fred had a natural instinct for beautifying land. He had a vision of how it could be instead of how it was at the present. In land he acquired, he had ponds dug here and there and made beautiful trails throughout the wooded areas. He erected swings in the most beautiful places, where he could sit and watch the deer and the sunset and listen to the birds. Fred was an active, lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Dover. After traveling to many places around the world, Fred and his devoted wife, Mary, pretty much stayed closer to home and enjoyed their family. Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Emma and Dirk Ruyter; a sister, Margaret Richter; a brother, Edward William Ruyter, who was killed in action in War World II; and a son-in-law, Robert Richter. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 71 years, Mary, whom he met when she was thirteen years old and he was sixteen years old. They married nine years later. Mary diligently cared for her husband in the last years of his life as Alzheimer's gradually darkened his mind. He is also survived by his daughters, Marian Richter and Susan Rogers; his son, Edward Ruyter Sr.; and his daughter-in-law, Donna, all of Dover; two grandsons Edward Ruyter Jr. and Christopher Ruyter of Maryland; two step grandsons, Mychael Murphy of Ohio and Brian Murphy of Virginia; and one step granddaughter, Katrina Murphy of Virginia. Friends may call on the family from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2011 at Trader Funeral Home, 12 Lotus Street, Dover, Delaware. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 23,2011, at St. John's Lutheran Church, 113 Lotus Street, Dover, Delaware. A public viewing will be from noon to 1 p.m.. Interment will follow the services at Sharon Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Fred's memory to Delaware Hospice, www.delawarehospice.org or the Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org. Letters of condolences may be sent to traderfh@aol.com or www.delmarvaobits.com.