On July 4th, Frank Lee Meade set down his labors of this life for the final time. He was 75. Frank was the loving father to Lee (Meade) and Howie Herbst, venerated stepfather to Brett Comb and Gregory Crudo, and proud and adoring grandfather to the joys of his life, Meadow and Jackson. Revered brother to Julian and Maryjo Meade, and treasured uncle to Jason and Jennifer Meade, Aaron and Amy Meade, Donnie and Belinda Mctigue, and Ryan and Carla Mctigue. Frank was also a dear and irreplaceable friend to many. Frank was preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Fernanda (Gori) Meade and sister, Teresa. Frank was born July 30, 1948, in Berkley, Michigan and graduated in 1966 from Berkley High School. He was initially mentored and apprenticed in masonry and the trades by his Uncle Clayton. Frank eventually became a highly skilled cabinet maker and carpenter, owning his own firm for many years. After retiring from managing contracting firms Frank occupied his time and numerous talents as the emeritus farm manager at the Wilson Farm in Oxford, Michigan. In the many years Frank has been a fixture at the farm he has touched the hearts of many and left an indelible mark on the community. His legacy on the farm will not soon pass. In addition to Frank’s skills in all things construction, he enjoyed many pursuits at various times throughout his life. In his youth he was a nomadic traveler with stories from his wanderings in South America and his winters in Florida, he was an avid motorcyclist for a time, being particularly proud of his Norton motorcycle being the fastest production cycle on the market at the time. He was an avid golfer during his contracting firm days as well as an accomplished outdoorsman, particularly enjoying duck hunting and fishing. He especially enjoyed the times he was able to fish with his father. Frank fished both fresh and salt water and had many trophy mounts to record his outings. His prowess and enjoyment of fishing lead him to commission a custom designed fishing boat with custom matching rigging and tackle, another point that gave great satisfaction. For a time Frank also operated a fishing charter on Lake Huron. Whatever pursuit Frank focused his attentions on he, without doubt, would attain a level of knowledge and expertise exceeding the casual practitioner. Frank also enjoyed humor and a bit of derision. On his business card he listed among his many areas of expertise; “Marriage Counselor.” He, for a long time, included the moniker “Avoid Death” on his communications and sported the bumper sticker on his truck with the call for “Vote for Frank Meade common sense party,” a party that could probably garner a lot of support in the upcoming elections. Perhaps the best side of Frank was his deep sentiment and care for integrity, whether in his approach to his craft and his drive for quality work or in his defense of fair dealing and the treatment of others. Frank was a good man. Frank would often conclude his texts with the phrase “Cherish today, plan for tomorrow.” So Frank, we will cherish the days we shared with you and we will plan for the tomorrow when we will see you again. A celebration of Frank will be hosted by family and friends at the Wilson Farm at 5027 Granger Road in Oxford on Saturday, July 27 between 1-5 p.m.