Sam D. Fralick, Jr., 90 “Mr. Fralick? That’s my dad. My name is Sam”.
A giant of a man and a pillar of the Cheboygan community for 90 years, Sam D. Fralick, Jr., passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 22, 2018, with his family at his side. Sam was born in Cheboygan March 4, 1928 to Sam D. Fralick, Sr. and Constance (Connie) Barlow Fralick, at the same corner of E Street and East State Street he resided on for most of his life. Sam was a successful businessman and tireless community booster.
But most of all he was a loyal son, a moral and ethical man, dedicated father, and devoted, loving husband and partner for almost 68 years to Eloise, or “E” as Sam fondly called her. For almost 70 years, Sam and “E” were inseparable around town and in their travels, raising their kids, keeping the family businesses running, having coffee at Kretchman’s Donut Shop, dinners at Pierre’s and The Loft, and driving hundreds of miles in their 70s to follow their grandchildren’s college sports. Extremely shy as a child, Sam approached life with humility and a sense of service to others.
He worked in Fralick family businesses all his life, starting with a milk route where he peddled milk for eight cents a quart, and then on to the Ritz and Kingston Theaters, Gaiety Lanes and Nightclub, and the Fralick gas station which stood for 52 years at the corner of Main and Mackinaw. Following his father’s sudden death at the gas station one night in 1952, at age 24 Sam took over the business, which was founded in 1920 by his grandfather, M.D. Sam operated the gas station and opened several more across northern Michigan. He sold to Blarney Castle in 1972 and started a career in real estate with Mike Sherwood, Sr
He eventually opened his own successful real estate firm, Fralick Real Estate, which he later sold to Coldwell Northern Lakes. Sam was a tireless booster of Cheboygan and northern Michigan. He served on the city council, Cheboygan Area Schools school board, Cheboygan Area Economic Development Corporation, Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, State of Michigan Real Estate Licensing Board, founding member of the Cheboygan High Dad’s Club, Realtors Association of Michigan, Northern Michigan Realtors Association, Cheboygan Community Memorial Hospital board, Salvation Army board for almost 50 years, Northern Michigan Dyslexia Scholarship Board, St. Paul’s United Methodist church board, treasurer for St. Paul’s Sunday school classes, and the Cheboygan Rotary Club beginning in 1948 when he was 20 years old.
Sam was deeply honored to be named a Paul Harris Rotary Fellow in 1996. For decades Sam wrote handwritten notes to school kids, area athletes, local leaders and old friends facing challenges. He offered kind words and prayers, just wanting people to how he was watching and cheering for them.
When cleaning out the longtime family home a few years ago, E found a box of accounts receivables from the gas station inside, hundreds of invoices never sent for fuel oil delivered to families in the middle of a cold winter night, fill-ups and oil changes for families that had fallen on hard times. Sam was preceded in death by his parents, his only brother, Jack, beloved step-grandfather William McLaughlin and grandmother Eva Featherstone Barlow McLaughlin, Capt. Frank Barlow, who died a hero in 1918 in France, paternal grandparents M.D. and Minnie Gilpin Fralick, and best friends George and Fern Schryer.
Sam is survived by the love of his life, Eloise (Douglas) Fralick, daughter Susan and husband Glen Dieterle, and sons (and their spouses), Mark and Patty, Gary and Mary Jo, and Brad and Deborah. Sam is also survived by grandchildren Jason, Brian (Xandra) and Steven (Niccole) Dieterle; Gavin (Kristy) Fralick, Erin (Fralick) and Jonathon Lucldiardt; Ben and Nathan Fralick; and Bella and Mack Fralick, and eight great-grandchildren Mason, Braden and Reed Fralick; Liza and Leela Luckhardt; and Jake, Maxine and Evie Dieterle. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 11:00am, with the family greeting friends beginning at 10:00am, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cheboygan.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be directed to the Cheboygan Sports Boosters (FKA the Dad’s Club) at: Cheboygan Sports Boosters 6556 Carey Road Cheboygan, MI 49721-9285. The Nordman-Christian Funeral Home is caring for the family.
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