Bo Gunnar Fredricsson

Bo Gunnar Fredricsson, age 86, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on August 24, with his loving wife by his side.

Bo was born on September 5, 1939, in Lulea, Sweden to Nils and Elsa (Nilsson) Fredricsson. He spent his late childhood and early adulthood in Stockholm. Following high school, he proudly served in the Swedish Army before pursuing his lifelong passion for engineering. He earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), one of Europe’s premier engineering universities.

Bo emigrated to the United States in his early twenties, where he embraced the opportunities of his adopted country while remaining deeply proud of his Swedish heritage. Throughout his career, he was an entrepreneur, innovator, and visionary whose curiosity never waned. His work consistently placed him at the forefront of emerging technologies. He developed innovative short-haul modem technologies during the early days of computer networking, starting two successful companies- Bo-Sherrell Co. and Solana Electronics. He was involved with electric vehicle development and the creation of vertical take-off and landing transportation with Moller International. After retirement, he participated in the DARPA Grand Challenge 2004 which helped jump-start autonomous ground vehicle technology.

Bo possessed an extraordinary intellect and was a long-time member of MENSA. In his free time, he enjoyed sailing, chess, home improvements, and studying economics. Those who knew him best will remember not only his brilliant mind, but also his endless curiosity, optimism, and willingness to tackle problems that others considered impossible.

His life journey took him throughout the San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego, CA areas; Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, PA; Charlottesville, VA; and finally, Nashville, TN where he spent his later years.

Bo was a loving father and husband, who was always there for his family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth (Holzman) Fredricsson; his daughter, Dr. Eva Aagaard and her husband, Russell, of St. Louis, MO, and their children, Jakob and Nina; his daughter Anna Pannier, and her husband, Pat, of Brentwood, TN, and their son, Patrick; and his brothers, Lars Fredricsson of Stockholm, Sweden and Staffan Fredricsson, of Newark, CA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Abe’s Garden, the American Alzheimer’s Association, or ALIVE Hospice. A Celebration of Bo’s Life will follow in coming months.

Arrangements in the care of Compassion Funeral & Cremation Services, Nashville, TN (615) 857-9955. We proudly remain locally owned & operated.