Joseph French

Joseph Michael French, age 67 years of Buchanan, Michigan; husband, father, grandfather, brother, farmer, camper, and “Mr. Fix-It” died peacefully at 1:40 a.m. on Sunday, September 1, 2024 with his family gathered at his bedside in his home in rural Buchanan, Michigan following a battle against pancreatic cancer. His family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care of the Centrica Care Navigators hospice staff.

He was born on January 10, 1957 in Niles, Michigan to William J. and Peggy S. (Pettie) French, and was graduated from Niles High School. He continued his education at Southwestern Michigan College. He was a second generation employee in the former Niles plant of Tyler Refrigeration as a maintenance electrician for many years, and was joined by his son – the third generation at Tyler’s - until the plant closed in 2009. He was also a farmer, growing and harvesting alfalfa, and began with a herd of Jersey dairy cattle before changing to Herford beef cattle. He always had goats and chickens, both for their production value, and to help populate his petting farm for visitors. And every farm has a dog or two, including his beloved German Shepherds, “Ava” and “Willow”.

Joe was raised in the Catholic Church, at Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Niles. He enjoyed camping, usually taking his trailer to Mini Mountain Campground near New Carlisle, Indiana; and whether at the campground or at home, he manned the grill, keeping everyone’s plate full with hot dog, brats, and the great hamburgers from his own herd. He was a bit of a homebody, but would drop what he was doing to go and help anybody in need, and he was quite proficient in his ability to repair anything in the house or on the farm. Even during his last week, he was on the telephone instructing a granddaughter on how to repair her lawn mower’s engine. His family was his greatest joy.

On September 23, 1994, at home in Dowagiac, Michigan he married the former Mildred Ann Huss, with whom he was just a few days away from celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of their wedding.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill French on March 30, 2018, and just three months later, Peggy Sue French, on June 20, 2018; and by a brother-in-law, Raymond Besch on February 23, 2023

Surviving family includes his wife, Millie French and his children, Sara (& Eric) Burns of Buchanan, Melissa (& Keith) Wiersma of Dowagiac, Jennifer French of Eau Claire, Michigan, Robert “Mike” (& Sheila) Smith of Buchanan, Michael (& Samantha) French of Buchanan, and Heather (& Robert) Henrichsen of Sawyer, Michigan; grandchildren Ethan (& Brittany) Wiersma, Kody Brovold (& fiancée, Emily Johnson), Airman First Class Jenna French, United States Air Force, Merrick French, Charles Burns, Natalee French, Ashley Henrichsen, and Andrew Henrichsen; great-grandson, Mason; Joe’s siblings, Theresa “Teri” Besch of Peachtree City, Georgia, Jeanette (& Jim) Nash of Portage, Michigan, Anthony “Tony” (& Sharon) French of Plainwell, Michigan, Catherine (& “RB”) Morton of Dowagiac, Paul French of Niles, and Elizabeth (& Scott) Campbell of South Bend, Indiana; and many, many nieces and nephews. 

The family of Joe French will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. At 8:00 p.m., a few words will be shared by Pastor Robert Hamilton of Saint Peter’s Evangelical Church of Galien, Michigan. Contributions in memory of Joe may be made to The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 504 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, New York, 11556, https://lustgarten.org/. Online condolences and memories may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Sixty-seven years feels too short, but Joe used those years well, being proud of his work at Tyler’s, loving to farm, and enjoying camping and the grill. But his true joy was the people in his life, co-workers, neighbor farmers, and more importantly his children and their children, and Millie.