Eugene "Gene" Frausto

Gene Frausto was a man who lived his life by a simple credo, a chord that played in his heart every day of his life. Happy-go-lucky and I am free. Nothing exists that bothers me. Gene loved life, from the simple pleasures of a Sunday drive, to an Alaskan cruise, to a cold Coca-Cola after a hard-days work. Most of all, he loved his life as a fun-loving family man, as a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. Genes story began on a warm summer day in 1930, in the little town of Fostoria, Ohio. Those were dark days in this country, which was caught in the teeth of the Great Depression, and times were so tough for so many. Yet on August 2, 1930, Joseph Eugene and Clementina (Rey) Frausto found a reason to celebrate, with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Eugene Joseph Frausto. Gene, as he would forever be called, was one of the couples four children, joining his siblings Josephine, Delores and Betty Jane. At a young age the family moved to Muskegon, Michigan, where he remained a very upbeat and happy young boy, despite the challenges life threw at him. His sister Betty Jane sadly died before she had her fifth birthday, and when Gene was just 9 years old, he was playing in the street when a car struck him. He required surgery, and because one leg was now a little longer than the other, he needed a heel insert in his shoes. It also prevented him from playing sports at Muskegon Heights High School, though Gene of course found other ways to make his mark in school. He served as the team manager for the Tigers football and basketball teams, and used his beautiful singing voice on the school choir. He also carried that upbeat personality with him through the halls, and onto the pages of his senior yearbook, where right there under his photo was his credo: Happy-go-lucky and I am free. Nothing exists that bothers me. After he graduated from high school, Gene enrolled in the Muskegon Business College, to study accounting. One day in his typing class, he spotted a beautiful young woman named Lois Miller, and couldnt help but flirt with her. In fact, he got her so flustered with his flirting, he always beat her at the typing tests! (Which flustered her even more). She loved his sense of humor, though, and the two soon fell in love. After two years of dating, the couple was married, on July 25, 1953. The newlyweds drove out West on their honeymoon, visiting the Grand Canyon on the first of many adventures together. Loiss parents owned the Coca-Cola bottling plant in town, and she left school to work there full-time administratively, while Gene earned his diploma and went to work first for Roy Yriesman as a book keeper then to Erickson Trucking as an office manager for many years. They settled into a little apartment at first, and it wasnt long before the new husband and wife became father and mother, as well. The couple had four beautiful daughters over the next eight years, Robin, Rhonda, RoxAnne, and Randi, who filled their lives with so much pride and joy. As their family began to grow, the couple looked for a place to settle down. Loiss parents had purchased a large plot of land, and gave the couple a parcel to build on. On that spot the family homestead was built, where they formed so many memories together, and where Gene would live the rest of his days. Gene was a wonderful, loving father, who made sure the family became close-knit. Saturday nights were always spent quietly at home, with Lawrence Welk on the TV. Genes girls fondly remember their tradition of Sunday drives, following church and catechism. Whether they wanted to or not, dad made them pile in the car for a tool around town. The family also piled in the car and vacationed in the Wisconsin Dells, or hopped on a plane to Hollywood, Florida for vacations over the years, too. Gene worked hard to provide for his family, first at Erickson for many years, before eventually going to work for Loiss family business as a supervisor. With Lois working there,it was truly a family affair. He retired in the early 1980s and Lois followed suit shortly after, giving them more time for their family. Gene and Lois traveled diversely, from taking an Alaskan cruise to bus trips into Chicago for simpler trips, heading off to the casino, which an eternal optimist like Gene couldnt help but love. But if Gene had his druthers, he was quite content to putter around the house, tending to his immaculate landscaping and garage, making sure neither a blade nor a tool was astray. He was particularly meticulous with the yard, from the bushes to the leaves, to watering, cutting and surveying the lawn and then starting all over again! Indeed, there did exist one thing that bothered Gene an unkempt lawn! The rest of his life, however, was a state of bliss, which the fun-loving man enjoyed to the fullest. He was most happy and proud of his family, which grew to include six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was very involved in his grandkids lives, and tried to never miss the granddaughter's tennis matches or grandson's racing events. Gene loved sports of all kinds, from watching the Detroit Red Wings to being a Muskegon Fury season ticket holder. He loved sports most of all, for the social aspect of it. Gene was an incredibly outgoing man, and a world-class talker who could chat up anyone within earshot. He loved nothing more than to meet and talk to new people, to shine some of his sunny disposition on their days. Sadly, Genes health began to seriously decline in 2007, and he died on Sunday, November 25, 2007, at the age of 77. Gene was such a genuine man, who lived a wonderful life, a life so full of family, fun times and fond memories. Happy-go-lucky and I am free. Nothing exists that bothers me, was always his motto. Gene was a beloved husband, loving father, grandfather and friend, but more than anything, he taught us that life is a gift, a gift meant to be shared. We were so lucky to share Genes life with him. He will be so greatly missed. Gene is survived by his wife, Lois; 4 daughters, Robin (Vince) Homan of Muskegon, Rhonda (Ron) Lipovsky of St. Louis, RoxAnne (Ralph) Twining - Russo of Whitehall, and Randi (Tony) Lirones of Grand Haven; 6 grandchildren: Nicole (Mark) Juba, Shawna (Clint) Richmond, Angela (Jason) Lijewski, Shelby Russo, Jordan and Tyler Lirones; 1 great grandchild Savannah Richmond; 1 sister, Delores Veselits. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Betty Jane Frausto and Josephine Aller. Services are scheduled for Thursday, November 29, 2007, 11:00 AM at the Clock Chapel. Interment at Restlawn Cemetery. Visitation is Wednesday, 5-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home. MEMORIALS: Hackley VNS Hospice or Association For The Blind. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or sign the online guest book.