Michael John Ray Fensler

Michael John Ray Fensler, 77, died peacefully Saturday, February 12, 2022, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor. He was born in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, on April 12, 1944, the eldest son of William E. and Kathleen Ray Fensler, both of whom preceded him in death. He is survived by brothers, George, of Ypsilanti, and Frank, of Waterford, as well as many cousins and countless friends.

Mike was a 1962 graduate of Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio in 1966. He served his country as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1966 until 1977. In the spring of 1978, he moved to Grass Lake, Mich., where he resided until his passing. Upon returning to civilian life he spent over thirty years working as a purchasing agent, his last position being at Sparton Electronics, Jackson, from which he retired in 2009.

Mike was devoted to the Grass Lake community and an active and loyal volunteer for the organizations he was involved with. Mike served on the board of the Whistlestop Park Association for several decades and on the board of the Grass Lake Area Historical Society for 32 years. Most recently he served on the board of the Michigan Military Heritage Museum, founded in Grass Lake and now located in Jackson. Mike was a fixture in Grass Lake’s Fourth of July parade, where his annual appearance in his classic 1929 Ford Model A roadster was always anticipated. He will long be remembered for his quick wit and mischievous sense of humor.

Cremation has taken place and no services are planned. The family requests that memorial donations be made to The Whistlestop Park and Depot, 210 E. Michigan Ave., Grass Lake, Ml 49240.