After years of ill health, Fred Bables, age 68, of Holland died at home on Monday, October 5. Fred was born in Saginaw to Rosemary and Willie Bables. He lived in Vassar during his growing up years. During high school, he traveled Michigan with a band. He also ran track and played baseball. After high school he enlisted in the Army and served in Korea as a radar operator on the DMZ.
Fred was predeceased by his father and mother, sister Lagusta Bables and son Frederick Jr. He is survived by his wife, Karen (Daniels); daughters Viva Swinton, Annzetta Fuller, and Celestina Lugo (James), and sisters Sandra Junior, Margaret Bables, and Pamela Northern, stepson Ryan McFall (Leanne), Kelly McFall (Laura), and nine grandchildren, five step grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and cousins.
Fred worked for General Motors in Flint for several years, earning an Associates Degree from Mott Community College along the way. Then he followed his heart and traded working on the assembly line for being a computer network administrator. One of his biggest jobs was traveling the Northeast to install new computer programs in CVS stores. He also went on a mission trip to South Africa where he helped install computer labs for high school students. His favorite job was teaching computer skills to students in job training programs and adult literacy students at the Family Literacy Center in Lapeer, MI.
Fred was a fisherman, a championship ping-pong player, and a consummate James Brown imitator. He loved chess, video games, singing along with the Temptations, and sitting in the woods watching squirrels play.
At Fred’s request, he has been cremated. There will be no services at this time, but his family and friends will celebrate at a time to be determined.
The family would like to thank Kelly Howard of Palliative Care and Angie of Hospice for making Fred’s last few months more comfortable. Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice of Holland, 270 Hoover Blvd, Holland, Michigan or Compassion International, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80997.
Please visit www.lakeshorememorial.com for further information.
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