Frederick Harry MuehlenhortOxnard, CAFrederick Harry Muehlenhort was born on August 12th, 1939, in Washington D.C., to Otto Herman Muehlenhort and Gertrude Agnes Muehlenhort. He died on November 12th, 2016, in Oxnard, California, of natural causes.Fred is survived by his brother, Robert Muehlenhort, and his sister-in-law Sondra Muehlenhort and their two children, as well as by his children Heidi Lord and Frederick Monahan, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also going to be missed terribly by his soul mate, Janna Visser, his German Shepherd, Baron, and his special friend, Aaron von Minden. And a great many other friends will miss him very much too.Fred distinguished himself early on by winning an appointment to West Point. He then surprised everyone by turning it down, realizing that his personality was not a good fit for that kind of life. So he pursued his passion, working in and around the automotive business all the rest of his life. He became an expert at metal-shaping and welding. He was both artist and artisan. He designed and executed. One such project, a futuristic motorcycle called Zyborg, won many prizes. He built race cars from the ground up and restored classic automobiles as well. He would call it "romancing" the metal. And he was very skilled at it, very patient. He was a master of a dying art in a prefab, cookie-cutter world. He also distinguished himself as a racer, first on the East Coast then on the West Coast.Fred himself was one of a kind. A unique man in the best kind of way. He played with words and coined new ones. His handwriting seemed to be evolved from the cuneiform. He loved plants and animals and gave them names. A large, inherited orchid was Connie. The lynx that crossed the patio every evening was Cleo, for Cleopatra. His favorite car was named "Bdrcup." He loved real Christmas trees, wood fires, and sunsets. And Chardonnay---he loved a good glass of Chardonnay. And he loved people who were genuine. People who had no agenda. He was helpful and generous with his gifts.There will be a celebration of Fred's life on Saturday, December 3, 2016, at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, 2052 Howard Road, Camarillo, California, at 11 a.m. Please come and bring your pictures and stories.