Frederick M. Saigh

Mr. Fred M. Saigh Age: 86 Iron River, MI Passed away Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at Iron County Medical Care Facility, Crystal Falls, MI. Born August 21, 1920, in Iron River, MI The son of the late Frederick and Edith (Lyle) Saigh attended the Iron River schools, graduating from Iron River High School in 1938. He was an alumnus of both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. A World War II Navy Veteran, he also attended the Navy's School of Communications at the Miami Campus of the University of Ohio. Fred married Lorraine Ropelle on December 21, 1943 in New York, NY, and the couple made their home in Iron River, celebrating their 63rd Anniversary. After his discharge from the Navy, he went into the family restaurant business for several years. He entered the insurance field in 1954 as an agent for the New York Life Insurance Company. By 1957, he was secretary-manager and resident agent at First National Underwriters and became the Agency's Vice President in 1964, and later the Chairman of its Board of Directors and its Chief Executive Officer. 1957 was also the year that Fred became involved in elected government, as he joined the Iron River City Commission, where he served until 1968, including four terms as the City's Mayor. In 1964, he became a member of the Iron County Board of Commissioners, holding the position of County Board Chairman for over 17 years. He also served on the same Board as Committee Chairman on the Finance, Personnel, Hospital, Economic Development, and the original Revolving Loan Fund Review Board Committees. In addition to the City and County Commissions, Chairman Saigh was active as a member of the Western U.P. Manpower Consortium, the former Dickinson-Iron Community Action Agency, the Western U.P. Planning and Development Region's Board, the Dickinson Iron Mental Health Board, the Dickinson-Iron District Health Board, the U.P. Association of County Commissioners, the Executive Board of the U.P Commission for Area Progress, the Board of Directors of the Iron County Economic Development Corporation, the Western Upper Peninsula's Community Growth Alliance, the Governing Board of the Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency, the Michigan Counties Workers Compensation Fund Board of Trustees, and the Michigan Association of Counties Ad-hoc Committee on Streamlining County Government. In recognition of his 40 plus years of dedicated service to the community, Iron County, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula on numerous boards for civic and business organizations, he was selected as the recipient of such awards as U.P. Person of the Year by the Upper Peninsula for Area Progress in 1986; Parade Marshal of the 1991 U.P Rodeo Wild West Parade by the Executive Board of U.P. Championship Rodeo; State of Michigan Special Tribute in 1987, 1991, and 2002; United States Senate Certificate of Congressional Recognition in 2002; Iron County Community Hospital Appreciation Award, 1996 - 2004. He was a member of the Iron County Kiwanis Club, the Iron River Country Club, the Elks Lodge of Iron River, the American Legion Post 17, the Iron River Service Club, Iron County Chamber of Commerce, Smokey Lake Reserve of Phelps, WI, Caspian Progressive Business Men, Duc d'Abruzzi Lodge of Caspian, Wildlife Unlimited of Iron County, Ducks Unlimited of Iron County, and the St. Agnes Catholic Church of Iron River, where he also served as Church Usher. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and skiing. He was preceded in death by his brother, Eugene Saigh. He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Sons; Terry Saigh, Newport, CA Dr. M. Frederick (Kelly) Saigh, Iron River, MI Dr. F. Michael Saigh, Kingsford, MI Peter (Patty) Saigh, Iron River, MI Mark Saigh, Iron River, MI Daughter, Barbara Saigh, Birmingham, MI 10 Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandchildren Visitation: Friday, January 26, 2007 from 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron River, MI. The Iron River Elks Lodge will conduct a Lodge of Sorrow Service at 6:00 p.m. A Liturgical Prayer Service will be conducted at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will also be held Saturday, January 27, 2007 from 9:00 - 10:45 a.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home. Funeral Services: Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Iron River, MI, with Rev. Aloysuis Hasenberg to offer the Mass of Christian Burial. The West Side Veterans Council will accord Military Rites following the service. Interment: Resthaven Cemetery, Iron River, MI. The family suggest memorials to The Friends of Camp Batawagama. Funeral arrangements by the Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron River, MI.