Henrietta Frazier (nee Shimer), formerly of Watervliet, passed away in Debary, Florida on March 18, 2023, with her family around her.
Henrietta was born July 7, 1934 to Donald and Dora Shimer in Watervliet. She married her high school sweetheart, Arvid Frazier on Oct. 11, 1952 and enjoyed life as the wife of a U.S. Navy sailor in the early years of their marriage.
Arvid and Henrietta welcomed their first child, Donald, in 1954. Three more children would follow. During those years, the family moved several times, the most notable was almost a year in Alaska where Arvid worked on the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System.
In the early 1970s, Henrietta earned her Real Estate Sales license. Her career flourished, leading her to open her own office, Paw Paw Lake Realty. She served as the president of the MLS and was active for many years in the Southwest MI Realtors Association and the Michigan Realtors Association.
Arvid and Henrietta enjoyed several other business ventures together. They purchased an empty building on Main Street and opened the Big Dipper Ice Cream parlor which they operated for several years. Later, they tried their hands at flipping houses – long before it was trendy.
Anyone who knew Henrietta will recall her wonderful fashion sense; she loved shopping and finding just the right blouse or accessory. She also had a special place in her heart for animals and shared her life with four very special cats over the years.
In retirement Arvid and Henrietta became snowbirds, with homes in Kalamazoo and Deland, Florida. They returned to Michigan full time in 2015, due to health issues.
Her beloved husband of 67 years passed away in 2019 and Henrietta returned to Florida, where youngest daughter Lisa and son-in-law Rick became her caregivers until her passing.
Missing her are her children, Donald (Vickie) Frazier, Steven (Debbie) Frazier, Julie (Mark) Walker and Lisa (Rick) Partee; 8 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, her brother-in-law Wilson Frazier and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Henrietta’s life will be held on Saturday, May 20 at 11 a.m. at the Plymouth Congregational Church on First Street in Watervliet. Friends and family are invited to come and share their memories of Arvid and Henrietta. Burial will be in Watervliet Cemetery following the memorial.