Fredrick Ernest Ganaway
was a member of the MacArthur High School graduating class of 1965.
He passed away of cancer on October 17, 2023.
He was in the German club as a sophomore and junior, in the AVA club as a sophomore-junior-senior.
He was in the Varsity Track as a sophomore-junior-senior too.
He was a Cadet yearbook and Monitor photographer as a junior-senior.
As a senior, Fred was on Class Council, Student Council, and on the Senior Class Play.
The first car Fred owned was a 1958 Chevy wagon.
In 1986, he married his high school sweetheart, Deborah Ann Foster, SDHS 1966.
They both attended and graduated from college in February 1970; Fred with a BS in Industrial Engineering and his wife with a BS-LAS in Psychology.
Fred went to work at Moline Manufacturing Company in Bloomington, as a industrial engineer.
Then from July 1970 through February 1972, Fred served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant in the infantry. He was on duty overseas in Berlin, Germany, and his wife Debby joined him for six months there.
Afterward, they came back to Modine, and his career lasted nearly 39 years until he retired on October 31, 2008. ("Happy Halloween," he would say.)
During their marriage, Fred and Debby had three children. Their first, Bryan Fredrick, married Irina, and have two granddaughters, Mila and Lydia. They live in Charleston, SC, and work at the College of Charleston as history professors. Their second child, Katherine Marie, lost her battle with bi-polar disorder March 1. 2004. The youngest Andrew David is married to Angela. They live in Racine, and Andrew works at CNH as the program administrator.
Fred recorded he and his wife would move through 13 residences, 7 in Illinois, Georgia, Berlin, Germany, Indiana, two in Ohio, and finally in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1981. Thirteen moves in 13 years, he once recalled.
His career with Modine went through various engineering management positions and division operations management over multiple plant operations. His final position was Operations and Manufacturing Engineering Services Manager, with global responsibility.
When Fred retired, Debby remained employed full time as the Executive Director of NAMI Racine. One of Debby's early work positions was as a special education teacher at MacArthur High School, Decatur, Illinois, 1970-1971.
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Family's remembrance:
Fredrick “Fred” Ernest Ganaway, 76, December 5, 1946 – October 17, 2023
Fredrick “Fred” E. Ganaway, age 76, passed away Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at Froedtert Memorial Hospital, Milwaukee. He was born in East St. Louis, IL, December 5, 1946, son of the late Ernest and Mary (Nee: Jacobs) Ganaway.
He was a graduate of The University of Illinois. On August 31, 1968, in Decatur, IL, Fred was united in marriage to Deborah Ann Foster. Fred proudly served his country in the US Army as a sergeant in the Berlin Brigade. Fred was employed by Modine Mfg. for 39 years until his retirement in 2008. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Institute of Industrial Systems Engineers, and Chairman Emeritus of Gateway Technical College Foundation.
He thoroughly enjoyed the arts, in particular the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Fred enjoyed
traveling, golfing and dancing. He learned professional photography in high school; the money he earned helped pay for his education. Above all it was time spent with his family, particularly his granddaughters, that Fred cherished most.
He was loved dearly and will be sadly missed by his wife of 55 years, Debby; sons, Bryan (Irina)
Ganaway, Andrew Ganaway and his former spouse Angela Dos Santos; granddaughters, Mila
and Lydia; sister, Carole (David) Baars; brothers-in-law, Paul Foster, David Foster (Dale
Hoiberg); other relatives and many dear friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by his daughter, Katherine Ganaway.
Funeral Services celebrating Fred’s life will be held 10:30 am, Saturday, October 28, 2023, at
the First United Methodist Church, 745 Main St., Racine, with Rev. Jakes Voker officiating.
Relatives and friends are welcome to meet with the family for Visitation, Saturday, 9:00 am, until
the time of service at the church. Memorials to the Gateway Technical Foundation or to the First
United Methodist Church have been suggested by the family.
A very special thank you to Dr. Thomas Giever and his staff for their loving and compassionate
