Francis R. "Fran" Lepage

Francis R. LePage Jr, 87, of Elkton, passed away Wednesday, April 6, at Courtney Manor in Bad Axe surrounded by his loving family.

Fran was born, April 26, 1923, in Houghton to the late Francis and Anna (Michetti) LePage.
After graduation from Houghton High School in 1941, he was employed at the Packer Motor Car Company in Detroit until he was inducted into the military. Fran was in the Army Air Corps during World War II, assigned to Allied Supreme Headquarters, 8th Air Force as a firefighter from 1943 to 1945, with duty in England, France and Germany.
Upon returning from Europe Fran enrolled at Northern Michigan University and received a B/S in Education and played Hockey for the Marquette Sentinel’s.

On Sept 30, 1950,he was united in marriage to Bette Sliger at Bishop Baraga Catholic Church in Marquette. He and Bette moved to Huron County in 1950 and lived in Bay Port, Pigeon and for the past 43 years in Elkton and were married for over 40 years, when Bette passed away on August 7,1991.
Fran taught Social Studies, US History, American Government, Econimics and Physical Education. He also taught driver education at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Lakers, Harbor Beach, Port Hope and Caseville schools. Along with teaching, Fran coached football, basketball, golf, track, volleyball and wrestling in the Laker school district for 39 years. He had a passion for teaching and coaching the youth of Huron County. Over the years, Fran touched the lives of many people in the thumb area. He was designated by the Thumb Track & Field-Meet of Champions as a "Thumb Friend of Youth"

Fran was a lifetime member of St Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Pigeon. He enjoyed golfing, collecting stamps and coins, and watching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren participate in various sports and activities. He was a lifelong supporter of Laker High School and enjoyed watching his beloved Detroit Red Wings. He was a member and past president of the Elkton Lions club and received the most prestigious award given to a Lion member, The Melvin Jones Fellow award in 2002. He was a member of the Elkton VFW Post 6013 and past post commander of the Lambert-Steele American Legion Post of Bay Port. In 2009, he was honored by being selected the Grand Marshall of the Laker 50th celebration parade, as well as Grand Marshall of the 2005 Elkton Autumnfest.

Surviving are six children, Patrick (Gail) Oakland, Mary (Thomas) Labelle, Elkton, Michael (Lorraine) Pigeon, James (Ann) of McHenry Ill, Anne (special friend, Trent) LePage – Funk of Clarkston and William of Fox Lake Ill. He is the proud grandfather of, Malissa (Brian), Jennifer (David), Allison, Matthew (Marisa), Jodi (Steve), Michael, Joshua, Jonathan, Mallory, Katie, Julie, Paige, Maggie, Quinn, Greg, Lukas, and Austin; great grandchildren, Shelby, Taylor, Myles, Madisyn, Jordyn, Cooper, Laken, Logan, Kade, Gracey and Jaxon; his brother, Bernard LePage, and three sisters, Maryann (Ralph) Paoli, Patricia (Bud) Meaden, and Pauline (Eugene) Kosiancic and two sisters-in-law, Greta Sliger and Margaret Besonnen and numerous nieces and nephews and everlasting family friend Ruthie Warren.
Preceding him in death was a brother, Robert; brothers-in-law, Dr. Bernard Sliger, Eugene Kosiancic and John Besonnen.

A funeral mass will be celebrated 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 9, at St Francis Borgia Catholic Church, Pigeon with Fr. John Weis, pastor officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00-9:00 PM Friday at Champagne Funeral Chapel, Elkton and at the church after 9:30 AM Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial gifts to the “Francis LePage Educational Scholarship Fund c/o Thumb National Bank, Pigeon or Courtney Manor, Bad Axe.