Carleton L. "Bud" Fix

Carleton LeRoy Fix was born in Kankakee, Illinois June 10, 1941 to Carleton LaVern Fix and Lillian Marie Scharrer Fix.  He spent his childhood in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

He moved in 1955 to Birmingham, MI. where he attended Birmingham High School and married his high school sweetheart Diana L Halpin on December 31, 1958.

Bud spent 4 years in the Army in the 1st Armored Divison. His tour included three years in Germany. Upon leaving the service he and Diana purchased their first home in Birmingham where he worked at his father-in-laws Bump and Paint shop in Pontiac, Michigan. He then worked at Detroit Diesel as a general foreman.

Four children and nine years later the family moved north to Johannesburg to escape the city.  He got a job as foreman at Lewiston Luster until 1972 when the trucking bug got him and Fix Transport began. He retired from his business in 2001 yet continued trucking until 2010.

Bud lived by the motto “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”  His legacy was “Learn as much as you can, work hard and be committed to what you are doing.”

Bud had an eclectic group of friends whom he cared for deeply.  He enjoyed engaging in deep conversation, especially when he was right.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Diana Halpin Fix; his children, Carleton (Buddy) Fix, Philip Fix, Saundra (Rick) May, Mitch Dobrzelewski and acquired son Mike (Ilene) Fanzini; his grandchildren; Jamie Winkelman, Jennifer Winkelman, Carla (Kevin) McDonald, Zachery Fix, Josh (Amanda) Dobrzelewski, Janelle Brink; great grandchildren; Lillian, Levi and Cole Winkelman, Maeve and Caelan McDonald, Donovan Burke, and George Klee.

Also surviving are sisters-in-law; Geraldine Fix, Patricia VanDike, and Jill Halpin; brothers-in-law Michael (Mic) and Jackie Halpin; and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lynne Dobrzelewski; his parents, Carleton and Lillian Fix; a brother, Colonel Ron E. Fix (USMC); his mother and father in-law, George and Victoria Halpin Sr; brothers and sisters-in-law, Major George and Tina Halpin, Richard “Skip” and Mary Elizabeth “Bep” Halpin, Donald “Duck” and Mary Halpin, William VanDike; and great niece, Lauren VanDike.

Bud’s family will visit with friends at the Fix residence from 4:00-8:00 PM Thursday, August 5, 2021.  A graveside funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM Friday, August 6, 2021 at Gingell Cemetery, on Old State Road in Vienna Township where visitation will begin at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation for the Gaylord Karmanos Infusion Center.

Arrangements are by Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service.  Please share your memories and personal messages with the family at www.gaylordfuneralhome.com