Frederick J. Ignatoski

Frederick James Ignatoski, age 82 of Rockford, passed from this life into his eternal home on Sunday, June 8, 2025. He was born September 14, 1942 in Grand Rapids, MI the son of Adam and Anne (Mancewicz) Ignatoski. He graduated from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids in 1960. Fred received his Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University in 1964 and his master’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from MSU in 1966. He worked as a wildlife biologist for the State of Michigan from 1966 – 1997, loving his job. On February 8, 1964, Fred married his high school sweetheart, Mary Janice "Jan" Heileman and they lived and raised their family in Reed City, MI. Fred really loved and was proud of his family. In his younger years he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and playing the guitar. He liked music by Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and the Kingston Trio. He enjoyed taking his older boys to baseball card shows, and coaching little league baseball. Upon retirement, they moved to Angel Lake, between Rockford and Greenville and really enjoyed living there. Fred was a private, kind, and quiet man who always liked being outdoors, tending his garden and orchard, raising chickens for fresh eggs, chain sawing and cutting wood for the woodstove. Fred loved to work on jigsaw puzzles with Janice when the weather wasn’t so good, and always was a fan of MSU and Detroit sports. He liked taking care of all things outdoors, including plants, birds and creatures of all kinds, and was happy to share his knowledge of them with anyone who asked. Fred also loved trips he and Jan took to Alaska, Hawaii and New Brunswick, Canada. He was a loving husband, dad, grandpa and great-grandpa and will be extremely missed! Surviving are his loving wife of 61 years, Mary Janice “Jan”; children, Jim (Chanda), Mike (Kathy), Rob (Jenn), Amy, and Gregg; grandchildren, Michael (Jess), Kyle, Phillip, Nick (Chloe), Emily, Theresa, Anna, and Abby; great-grandchildren, Isaac and Bryn; sister-in-law, Roberte Ignatoski; niece, Pamela (Alan) Gleichman; nephew, Bradley Ignatoski. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Joseph; sisters-in-law, Patricia Ignatoski, Susan Heileman and his in-laws Allen and Hazel Heileman. Honoring his wishes, we held a private, immediate family only, funeral mass at Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church, Rockford.  Arrangements by K.E. Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs.