Fred Ferenc

Frederick Joseph Ferenc was born on September 10, 1932 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His parents were Joseph and Elizabeth (Dobrik) Ferenc, Hungarian immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island around the turn of the century. Joseph was originally a tailor in Hungary. He settled in the Detroit area finding work in the auto industry, later moving to Kalamazoo with his wife, Elizabeth, landing a job at Checker Motors. Although Joseph spoke five different languages, neither parent could speak English. They taught themselves how to speak the language, which was a major obstacle to the children growing up in this environment. The first born was Fred’s sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Houseman who he loved and protected dearly. Throughout their lives, the bond between them was very strong. She passed away in 2004.

Growing up in the depression was very tough on Fred and his family. He grew up in and around the Kalamazoo area moving frequently, as he would say, “just about the time the rent was due!” He spent a lot of the time on the streets doing what he had to do to survive in those times. His recollection of Pearl Harbor was when he was nine or ten years old, selling the Kalamazoo Gazette on the street corner. During these times, he met many of his friends that would become lifelong friends. One of his friends, Roger Sellers, was with him in the same nursing home. They were trading jokes just hours before Fred passed away.

As a child, he also spent time at Pretty Lake Camp. Unfortunately, he hated it! At the time, it was a camp for poor and underprivileged children. He told stories of how he ran away from camp two to three times, but they kept finding him and bringing him back!

During the depression, most people lived hand-to-mouth, so school was not as important as working and putting food on the table. So Fred quit school in his teens to find work. He had various jobs including one at Sutherland Paper Company. In 1950 at 18 years old, Fred was drafted into the Army. He became a member of the Army Signal Corp and completed training in cable splicing. During his service, he participated in “Operation Desert Rock” which was an air drop of an atomic bomb in the Nevada desert. At first, his clearance to participate in this operation was held up because his parents were immigrants of what was the then a Communist country. With the Korean War and the Cold War in full swing, the Army was worried about foreign spies, especially anything related to Communism. He was eventually cleared to participate and was very proud of his service to his country.

Using his cable splicing training when he was honorably discharged, he landed a job at Michigan Bell Telephone Company and a wife, who also worked there. In 1955, Fred married the former Beverly Gilbert. Together, they had three children, Katherine Elizabeth in 1956, Michael Joseph in 1957 and Steven Allen in 1959. In 1979, Fred remarried the former Robin Nelson and adopted her 8-year-old daughter, Beckie. Fred was thrilled to become a grandfather for the first time in 1980, eventually having nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren in all.

At Michigan Bell, Fred worked his way up to PBX Special Service Technician. After 33 years, he retired from the phone company and went to work part-time for the Upjohn Company as a Data Technician, completely retiring in 1988. After retiring, he had one more goal to reach, which he kept mostly to himself. He went back and received his high school diploma, which was very important to him after all these years. When his kids found out what he had done, he told them with humor, “Now I can get a real job!”

During his 25 years of retirement, he was able to pursue his hobbies of restoring antique cars. Every year, he would attend the Hershey Antique Car Show with friend, Bob Benson, where he bought a couple of his cars. He also enjoyed playing his lap steel and Dobro guitars. He resided at his farm in the Bloomingdale area where he had many friends over the years. After selling his farm, he settled in at a lake cottage on Baseline Lake in Allegan County and spent his winters in Lake Wales, Florida.

Fred was a big Detroit Tiger’s and Lion’s fan. He rarely missed a game and was still longing for a Lion’s Super Bowl win along with the rest of the state of Michigan! He was a proud union member and a staunch Democrat. He kept up on politics leading many conversations on the ways of the world and the people running it. Other interests included camping, country music and traveling. He was able to travel with lifetime friend, Sue Archer, to Europe and visit their parent’s homeland in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. He was a 15-year board member of the Kalamazoo District Federal Bell Credit Union, a member of the American Legion and a Mason. He also was a member of the 19th Michigan volunteer army, which was a Civil War reenactment/gun club made up of many of his co-workers at Michigan Bell. They went gallivanting around the country camping at various Civil War sites and battlefields competing in shooting competitions with Civil War era muskets and cannons. It was more “F-Troup” than Civil War, but a good time was had by all!

No matter what was thrown at him in life, he managed to overcome it, all with hard work and optimism. His gift to the world was his outgoing personality, his integrity and most of all, his sense of humor. Everyone who met him went away with not only the impression that he was a good person, but with a smile. He is survived by his children, Kathy (Russ) Minehart, Mike (Shawn) Ferenc, Steve (Suzanne) Ferenc and Beckie Bower and his brother-in-law, Malcolm Houseman. His grandchildren include Joe Powell, Emily Powell, Jeffrey Minehart, Brittany Ferenc, Alexandra Ferenc, Justine Billante, Stephanie Harper, Mark Ferenc and Caitlin Bower; great-grandchildren, Alana Billante and Kane Duncan. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister.

He will be greatly missed by all.

Learn more about Fred and visit with his friends and family while sharing food and refreshments at an open house reception from 5:00-7:00 PM on Friday August 15, 2014 at the Life Story Funeral Homes, Betzler – Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Drive (375-2900). Burial will take place in Ft. Custer National Cemetery at a later date. Please visit Fred’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo of him and sign his online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Loaves & Fishes.