Morton (S) Fine

Morton Fine passed peacefully on April 19 after being ill for just a few days. Six weeks shy of his 104th birthday, he lived life to the fullest until the very end. He was a kind and loving man with a zest for life and wonderful sense of humor. He touched the lives of so many throughout his long years - family, friends, fellow musicians, business associates and so many more. But nothing made him happier than family visits and celebrations. Morton was born to Mary Savatsky Fine and Jacob Fine, raised in Worcester, MA, and earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering with high honors from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1937. He married Frances Kaufman in 1940 and together they moved to Hartford after Morton was offered a position with the Hartford Army Corps of Engineers to work on a large-scale flood control project that would run through the center of the city. That was the beginning of a career that would span eight decades and provide great contributions to the Hartford area and beyond. In 1950, he opened his own engineering firm, Morton S. Fine & Associates, offering his services to the private and public sector and worked on numerous projects for the State of Connecticut. One of his most notable projects was Dinosaur Park in Rocky Hill where his firm did the survey and design work. In 1962 he was appointed to the State Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors and over the next 40 years became a leader in state and national engineering organizations, making significant contributions to the engineering profession. In his later years, Morton’s solo practice was in the area of forensic engineering, providing technical expertise for both defendants and plaintiffs in litigation. He continued to work until he was almost 100 years old, often giving court testimony to the shock of those in the courtroom who were aware of his advanced age. He had a true passion for the engineering profession and remained active in it as long as he possibly could. Aside from professional interests, Morton was an avid golfer, playing until his mid-nineties, and a big fan of the Red Sox and UConn Huskies. But his most passionate activity outside of work was playing his clarinet. He played throughout his high school and college years and then, after moving to Hartford, played with the Hartt School of Music and the Hartford Civic Orchestra. He joined the Simsbury Community Band in 1983 and played with them until he turned 100. Morton was an active member of Congregation Beth Israel and for about 25 years could be found each summer ushering at Tanglewood, where concertgoers always recognized him as the guy with the WPI cap. He is pre-deceased by his wife, Frances and is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Dave Ridge, his son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Sue Fine, grandchildren Kim Jackson, Alison Fine, Carolyn Pellicone, Sara Kirschner, Ted Rones and Evan Ridge and their spouses, and 5 great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT 06119; Office of Annual Giving - Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609; or the Simsbury Community Band, PO Box 201, Simsbury, CT 06070.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT 06119; Office of Annual Giving - Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609; or the Simsbury Community Band, PO Box 201, Simsbury, CT 06070.