Fred Grant Attebury's Obituary
Fred Grant Attebury, age 86, was a 50 year resident of East China, Michigan. Born, April 23, 1932 – Died, August 23, 2018
Fred Grant Attebury was the 3rd of four children, preceded by brother David and sister Ellen, followed by brother John, born to Clark Mackin Attebury and Lydia Howard-Attebury on April 23, 1932 in East St. Louis, Illinois, during the depths of The Great Depression.
In 1952 Fred joined the US Coast Guard. Fred was a Yeoman, and often told the story of how he joined the Coast Guard football team in order to get better food. He was stationed at various bases, including New Jersey, Connecticut and Traverse City Michigan.
Fred attended the University of Illinois where he graduated in June of 1958 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He continued his education, acquiring a Master of Arts in Art Education.
Fred taught art at Champaign Central High School from 1958 thru 1968, where he also coached the Champaign Central high school tennis team to multiple winning seasons.
In 1968, Fred moved his family to Michigan where he took an assistant professorship at Wayne State University in the Art Education department. Fred loved teaching, and taught classes in Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Pottery, Wood and Metal Design, Animation, Computer Graphics, and Multi-Image Projections. His ‘Saturday School’ art program brought hundreds of art students from the Detroit area to Wayne State University for instruction, offering Fred’s art education students an opportunity to hone their teaching skills in a realistic learning environment. He also initiated a program to recognize Outstanding Achievement in the Arts by alumni. For a many years Fred was also an Administrator in the College of Education, and served as Chairman of the Art Education Department.
In 1994, Fred retired to his home on the St. Clair River, where he and his wife Sandy enjoyed life tending his trees, swimming in the river, and visiting with friends, relatives, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Beloved teacher, husband, father and friend, Fred was proceeded in death by his first wife, Shirley Ann Lardie. He is survived by his sister Ellen Jane McDowell, brothers John and David, along with many loving nieces and nephews. Fred is also survived by his second wife, Sandy, his children Annette, Clark, (Holly), Mike (Marguerite), and Fritz (Ruth). Grandsons Trenton, Mathew (Susan), Brian, Kevin (Kristine), Blair (Tiffany) and Christopher. Great grand-children, Eleanor, Madison, and Harrison.
He was also the beloved Stepfather to Benita Alexander, Joss (Chris) Saccone and Matt (Sarah) Alexander and step grandchildren, Paige & Zoe Alexander, Jessina Noel and Alex Saccone.
Memorial services will be held at Young Funeral Home in China Twp, Michigan on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 12n. Visitation from 10a.
Your memorial gift to the National Forest Foundation will plant trees to help restore America’s National Forests. To make a gift, please visit:
https://www.nationalforests.org/donate/plant-trees
Donors should indicate when making their online gift, in the additional comments section, that the gift is in memory of Fred Attebury
To mail a donation, checks should be payable to:
National Forest Foundation
Fort Missoula Road
Building 27, Suite 3
Missoula, MT 59804
Please include a note that this donation is in memory of Fred Attebury and is to be used to plant trees.
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