Dr. Frederick G. Gmitter, Jr. was born on February 2nd, 1951, the oldest of three children, to Frederick G. Gmitter Sr. and Kathryn (Hall) Gmitter in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. By the time he was in kindergarten, the family had moved to Linden, New Jersey, where Fred was raised.

Fred was a loving husband, brother, father, and grandfather. Family was a cornerstone of the Gmitter household, which, after his birth in 1951, grew to include Fred’s younger brother Randy (born in 1955), and sister Debbie (born in 1963). From an early age, Fred displayed exceptional intelligence. Encouraged by his parents to excel academically, he was an avid reader who would read encyclopedias from cover to cover rather than playing outside. It was also during his youth that Fred discovered a passion for gardening, which perhaps led him to his lifetime dedication to plants, learning the craft from his grandparents during long summer visits to Pennsylvania.

Fred earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Rutgers University. He then pursued the science of horticulture and genetics, earning his master's degree from Rutgers in 1981, and, after moving to Florida, he earned his PhD from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1984 in Citrus Breeding and Genetics under the direction of Dr. Gloria Moore. Fred was subsequently hired at the CREC in 1985, settling in Polk County, Florida, as the conventional citrus breeder, renewing a discontinued program. He immediately formed a partnership with Dr. Jude Grosser (forming the “Orange Brothers”, a partnership and friendship that blossomed and lasted for over 41 years). Dr. Gmitter and Dr. Grosser have released more than 50 citrus scions (for juice and fresh fruit) and rootstock varieties. As one of the most internationally recognized names in citrus breeding and genomics, Dr. Gmitter led the “Citrus Genomics Consortium”, an international effort to create open-access resources in the genomics research space. Fred's work pioneered the discipline of citrus genomics and bioinformatics and was well-respected and loved among his international colleagues.

Fred married Arlene Gmitter and celebrated the birth of his first child Julie, in 1987 and the birth of his second daughter, Kacie, in 1994. He later married Wendy (Qi) Wei in 2002 with whom he spent the remainder of his life with, and they celebrated the birth of their first son Tyler in 2003 and second son Jacob in 2005. Fred became a grandpa in 2019 when his daughter Julie had her son, Elliott.

In the academic space, Fred was also known to be equally brilliant and fun. Those who knew Fred would agree that Fred had an unmatched sense of humor, with a voice that could cut through the room, bringing laughter and joy. Fred is highly regarded by the entire international citrus breeding and genetics community for his passion for citrus improvement, his knowledge of the citrus germplasm, his keen intellect, and his outgoing, joyful, and engaging personality. Fred is a dearly loved International Ambassador of Citrus.

To Dr. Gmitter’s students and mentees, he was far more than an accomplished scientist and citrus breeder. Dr. Gmitter was a patient teacher, an intellectually generous and trustful mentor, and a steady source of encouragement. He encouraged students to think independently, question assumptions, pursue ambitious ideas, and develop their own scientific identities. Rather than simply directing research, he created an environment in which young scientists could learn how to ask meaningful questions and develop the confidence to answer them. Dr. Gmitter trained and guided generations of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scientists, and young professionals who went on to contribute to plant breeding, genetics, horticulture, and citrus research around the world.

Fred will be remembered as a loving and caring cornerstone of the community. He enjoyed spending time with family, listening and dancing to music, telling jokes and stories, and enjoying the outdoors. Fred loved going to concerts of his favorite musicians like the Grateful Dead, Willie Nelson, The Moody Blues, and Santana. On weekends, you would find Fred working in the garden and backyard, rooting for the Florida Gators or watching his kids and grandson play basketball and soccer. Fred loved learning about other cultures, and in his travels, would always grow to appreciate how diverse the world was. He was constantly learning, and could be found reading books in his spare time. Always leading by example, Fred taught all of his family to be compassionate, love largely, and to live in the moment.

He is preceded in death by his parents Frederick G. Gmitter Sr. and Kathryn (Hall) Gmitter, and his younger brother Randy Gmitter. He is survived by his wife Wendy (Qi) Wei, his sister Debbie Horne, his four children Julie, Kacie, Tyler, Jacob, and his grandson Elliott Jerzy Ramjit.

A memorial gathering will be held on October 3rd, 2026 at The Kings Church,730 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33801. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends are invited to come remember and celebrate Frederick Gmitter’s life.