Michael James Frazier (2014)

FRAZIER, STOUT

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/1/2014 at 23:05:49

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, October 29, 2014

MICHAEL FRAZIER, DES MOINES

Michael James Frazier, 53, of Des Moines died Friday, Oct. 17, 2014, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston, with his beloved brother and caretaker Patrick at his bedside, along with other family and friends, after a courageous battle with complications of muscular dystrophy.

Michael James Frazier was born April 27, 1961, to Betty Anne Stout and Oliver James Frazier at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He grew up in rural Dallas and Madison counties on his parents’ farms in Adel and Winterset, doing farm chores, playing with his pony Cola with the red cart and helping in the garden. He attended Sunday school and church, and was baptized at First Christian Church in Winterset. He was in 4-H showing dairy goats, and was active in Little League baseball pitching for the Dodgers.

Michael loved life and met it headlong with courage and vigor. He graduated from Winterset High School in 1978, finishing in three years as an honor roll student. He moved to Oregon at 18 to seek his career in a milder climate. He worked at GTE Telephone in Oregon and Washington for 10 years, then at Nintendo of America for 20 years. He was a well-known season ticket holder for the Mariners games at Safeco field in Seattle.

He researched his disease with MDA doctor Greg Carter, seeking knowledge of how to best manage his health. He never gave up that the answers would come.

In September 2008 after retiring from Nintendo, Patrick brought Michael back to Iowa to live with him.

According to his wish, Michael has been cremated and his ashes will be scattered in Astoria, Ore. A celebration of Michael’s life will be held at a later date.

He is survived by his parents, Betty and Oliver Frazier; and one sibling, Patrick Oliver Frazier.