Frederick "Fred" Franczek, Jr

Fred Franczek was a man who loved to bark, but was far too love able to ever bite. Fred was a fun-loving, quirky character of a man, who was always so game for anything. He was a beloved husband, father and friend, a teacher and mentor, and a lover of life if there ever was one. He was famous for his imagination, but you couldnt imagine a better friend. Freds story began on a warm fall day in 1931, as the leaves began to turn in the shoreline city of Muskegon, Michigan. Those were such difficult times for so many in this country, which was caught in the teeth of the Great Depression. On September 13, 1931, Frederick and Sabina (Rambish) Franczek found a reason to celebrate, with the birth of their first child, a baby boy they named Frederick like his father. Fred was later joined by little brother Walter in the familys Muskegon home, where his parents worked hard to make ends meet and to provide a loving home for their boys. They were a devoutly Catholic clan, and Fred and his brother attended Catholic schools as a result. Fred was a bright young man, and a good student, as well as a good athlete. He attended St. Marys High School in Muskegon, where he was a standout on the schools basketball team in the late 1940s. After he graduated in 1949, he headed off to East Lansing, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in 1953. He found more than a degree at college, though. One night Fred went to a dance, and he pulled his car over to help a pretty young woman with a flat tire. Now, Fred wasnt exactly Mr. Fix-It, but he somehow managed to save the day for Char Prucha, who repaid the handsome Fred by going on a date with him. The sparks flew, and they began dating for the next two years. Fred wanted to further his education, but with his school bills piling up, Fred enlisted in the Army in March of 1954. Armed with a steady income and good benefits, Fred asked Char to marry him, and the couple tied the knot on December 18, 1954, in Muskegon. After Fred finished his two-year commitment in the military and was discharged in February of 1956, he used the G.I. Bill to pay for his Masters degree, just like he planned. He began his teaching career at Portland High School in Portland, Michigan, where he also was a coach. The couple lived in Lansing and welcomed the first of their two beautiful daughters when Terri joined the family in 1957, making Fred such a proud papa. Wanting his growing family to be closer to his extended family, Fred took a job with the Muskegon Public School system. He taught typing and was the cooperative training coordinator, connecting students with their first employment. Fred always saw to it that his students were something the schools could be proud of, and that he could be, too. In 1961, Fred and Char celebrated the birth of their second child, as Tina rounded out the happy family. Fred was a terrific dad, though not the greatest disciplinarian. His famous parenting line was always, Go ask your mother! The family did much together over the years and their family vacations were always memorable. Their trip to Washington D.C. was one example. Fred loved to record details and document events, so each night the family all took turns recording their perspective on the days events into his reel-to-reel tape recorder. Fred kept detailed records on everything, which he loved to dig out on New Years Day for the fun of it. Hed shuffle through his papers and say things like, Do you know how much we spent on groceries last year? Fred was a beloved fixture to more than his family, though. He fancied himself as Mr. Fix-It, and loved to tinker in his spare time. The neighborhood kids would drop by and barrage him with questions. Whatcha doin? or Whats that? Fred gamely fielded them all, and patiently provided a positive male role model for many kids who were lacking that in their life. One particular boy, Mike Betlejewski, was a regular to Freds garage, and helped bail Fred out with more than a few things he had fixed. In many ways, Mike was the son Fred never had, and began dating Tina, becoming the son-in-law Fred always wanted. Fred was quite a character, and had quite an imagination, to boot. He was famous for his funny lines (Whats the word, Thunderbird? among many others), and the imaginary dog he named F.E. Klinker. He introduced F.E. to just about everybody, from his students, to his friends, to his daughters boyfriends (to the girls horror). He loved telling funny stories about F.E. and making whining noises and barking to make believers out of people. His family would just roll their eyes (Dads doing the dog routine again!), but he loved every minute of it. Hed bark just for the fun of it, which became his trademark exultation on the golf course, too. Fred had a great passion for golf, and even took early retirement from Muskegon Schools after 30 years so hed have more time to play! And people knew if Fred was barking on the course, he was having a great round and a great time. Of course, Fred was always having a great time. He was just that kind of man, who loved life and loved sharing it with his family and friends. He and Char donated their time to Mercy Hospital, and the Friends of the Frauenthal Theater, and were active members of the Orchard View Travelers, too. They went all over the world with their friends, visiting Thailand, Hawaii, and the Canadian Rockies, among other locales. Eventually, they became content to spend their winters in Florida, staying in the Village of La Casta De Sol every year for a decade or more. Every summer they returned to Michigan to be close to their family and many friends. Eventually, Freds health began to decline, and he sadly died on September 23, 2007, at the age of 76. Fred was an incredible man, who lived a wonderful life, a life so full of family, fun times and fond memories. He was a beloved husband, father, teacher and friend, and a fun-loving, quirky character of a man. Hed bark like a dog to get a laugh, to help you see what only he could see, believe what he believed. More than anything, Fred made believers out of us all. He will be so greatly missed. Fred is survived by his wife, Charlotte; 2 daughters Terri Ann (Kyle) Foster of Jackson, MI and Tina Louise (Michael) Betlejewski of Charlotte, North Carolina; 1 step grand child Lena Foster; brother Walter Franczek and 4 grand dogs. Services are scheduled for Thursday September 27, 2007 at St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church with Father August Franczek officiating, interment at St. Marys Cemetery. Visitation is Wednesday September 26, 2007 at Clock Life Story Funeral Home, Muskegon MI, 2-4 & 7-9 pm with Rosary at 8:30 and Elks service. Memorials can be made to Hackley VNS Hospice and Muskegon Public Schools Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to sign Freds guestbook, or to share a memory or photo of him.