Donald Francis Filter obit

Adrian Daily Telegram, March 22, 2008, pg 2A
Donald Francis Filter obit
TECUMSEH — Donald Francis Filter, born August 18, 1916, died at his home at Cambrian Assisted Living in Tecumseh on March 20, 2008. Don was the son of Albert and Dorothy (Fisher) Filter of Tecumseh. Living in the German immigrant farming communities near Tecumseh early in his life, Don became a star athlete and top student at Tecumseh High School, earning a full scholarship with his twin brother, Ron, to General Motors Institute, now Kettering University, where he graduated in 1937. Don returned to Tecumseh to marry his high school love, Elizabeth Jane Anderson (Bettie) on September 17, 1937.

Don and Bettie raised two children: Terrance Anderson Filter, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist living in Ann Arbor, and Jennifer Dianne Filter (Simpson) R. N., a nursing manager at a healthcare facility in Traverse City. Don began his career at Cadillac, and during World War II was an industrial engineer at the Detroit Tank plant on Clark Street. Later Don did stints at New Idea (a farm implement manufacturer) near Dayton, Ohio, and with Perfection Steel Body and Cobey Corporation in Galion, Ohio, where he was Ohio industrialist Ralph Cobey's operations general manager for his various companies in Galion, Bucyrus, Wapakoneta and Kent, Ohio. The corporations manufactured dump truck bodies, garbage trucks and dumpsters used by many municipalities, farm equipment, and specialized heavy machinery like stone crushers under contract from the government and infrastructure building companies. In 1968, Don and Bettie returned to Michigan, living in Brooklyn where Don worked for Kysor Corporation headquartered in Cadillac, and became the Columbia Township Treasurer. In the 1970's Don and his partner, Fred Waite, founded Fredon Corporation, a materials handling equipment sales company, from which Don retired in 1982. Don and Bettie returned to Tecumseh in retirement and lived in Herrick Park until moving to Cambrian in mid-2006. In their private life, Don and Betty lived simply and quietly. Their lives centered on their active membership in the Episcopal Church wherever they lived. They enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and socializing with a small circle of friends and family, in addition supporting their children's activities. Seldom was there a ball game, recital, or school play that was missed. In his retirement, Don also enjoyed playing golf regularly in a season stretched as far as possible in Michigan.

Don is survived by his children and grandchildren Christopher Adam and Amy Melissa (Pohlod) Zezulak, and great-grandchildren Sydney and Erin Elizabeth Pohlod.

Don was preceded in death by his wife Bettie in January 2008, his twin brother, Ron, and two sisters, Bertine (Filter) Rhoades, and Marie (Filter) Grieman.

Funeral services for Don will be 11 a. m. Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Tecumseh, with Fr. John Lohmann officiating. Burial will follow in Clark Lake Cemetery, Brooklyn, Mich. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Tecumseh, or Hospice of Lenawee. Arrangements were entrusted to the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh. Condolences to the family may be made at www.pursefuneralhome.com.