Fred Matteucci

Ferdinand "Fred" John Matteucci, 94, peacefully passed away on Monday, January 27th, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona surrounded by his family. Fred, or "Fast Freddy" as he was affectionately known, was born on January 16th, 1931, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to John and Teresa Matteucci.

Fred was a proud son of Italian-American immigrants and a native of Albuquerque. He was deeply enriched in New Mexico's history and culture: mushroom hunting in the Sandias, cooking with green chile and, foremost, the art of the late painter and sculptor, Betty Sabo, whom he was introduced to by Frontier Restaurant owners, Dorothy and Larry Rainosek, in 2003.

A lifelong lover of baseball, Fred was a member (along with future Senator Pete Domenici) of St. Mary's team that won the state championship in 1949 and was also notably the bat boy for Joe DiMaggio when the Yankees came to play in Albuquerque. Fred served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War (Jan. 8, 1951-Oct. 20, 1954) including spending 18 months stationed in Rabat, Morocco. He often shared stories of these experiences like they were yesterday and he never tired of sharing the joy and memories of people he'd met in his life.

Later, Fred launched his career at the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) in 1966, seizing growth opportunities that eventually led him to oversee all customer service operations until he retired in 1986. Always making something positive happen for Albuquerque, Fred was a member of multiple organizations: The Dukes of Baseball, Albuquerque Jaycees (where he held multiple positions), Chamber of Commerce, and a volunteer at the United Way and cancer drives.

While he took a more conventional path in his business life, Fred led life with an entrepreneurial spirit: he was the general manager of the New Mexico Chiles professional soccer organization (1991-1996) and later, the owner of the Albuquerque Dukes baseball team trademark at the age of 74 (2005) which led to the opening of a Dukes retail shop. The Duke's logo remains such a strong symbol of Albuquerque pride that it inspired the annual Isotopes' throwback game.

Fred is survived by his brother Richard, three daughters, Lisa Walker (Mark), Lesley Robertson (David), and Anna Payne; and his eight grandchildren: Mellyn Walker, Cullen Walker, Lindsey Robertson, Alexis Robertson, Lacey Robertson, Dylan Robertson, Cole Payne, and Carson Payne. He will also be missed by his nieces and nephews and their children, who were such an important part of Fred's life. He is preceded in death by his parents, older sister Norma, and older brother Pete.

Fred will be remembered as a loving and proud father and Nonno who taught those close to him his 3 D's: dream, drive, and determination. Most importantly, he lived his life guided by his faith in Jesus and his two favorite four-letter words: give and love.

A mass will be celebrated at the Santa Fe Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on Thursday, March 20th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. A burial will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.

In Fred's memory, please consider a contribution to directed to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.