Frederick William Knapp

Frederick (Fred) Knapp, 78, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026 in Shelby Township, MI. Up until the moment he reached the pearly gates and was welcomed to his eternal home, by those he had loved and lost, he remained true to who he was. He was selfless, kind, caring, compassionate, forgiving, stubborn, loving, and steadfast in his faith. He passed with comfort knowing he completed his earthly journey. Now, he is surely back to driving his big red truck, talking about Detroit sports, and telling anyone who will listen about his lucky hole-in-one. Fred was born to William and Stella Knapp on April 8, 1947 in Detroit, and was raised in the city alongside his older brother Ray. He loved two things in life, his family and his faith. His foundation for the Catholic church began at St. Cunegunda school before entering high school at Detroit Holy Redeemer. Fred enrolled at Wayne State after high school graduation. However, with encouragement from his brother Ray, his path altered and he proudly served in the Army Reserves, before returning back to Wayne State University and earning an undergraduate in Electrical Engineering, as well as a Masters Degree in Computer Engineering. After getting a J-walking ticket on the way to a job interview, he overcame his brief run as a “criminal” and began a 28-year career at General Motors in the finance department. As he tells the story, Electrical Engineering was not what he thought it was (despite studying it for four years), so he used his strong math skills for a successful career in finance. Those that worked alongside him knew him as the grinder who demanded perfection. Instead of using clocks to tell time, he used project deadlines, which was the driver for a long career of continuous promotions. Fred’s deep-rooted faith eventually led him to meet the love of his life at a Catholic singles club. Just a few short years later, in 1973, he and Barb (Bolen) married at St. Agatha and began writing their shared story. Over the coming years, they built a house in Sterling Heights, which became their forever home and introduced them to lifelong neighborhood friends. They quickly grew from a young couple to the proud parents of Heather, Ryan (Amanda), Jim (Jillian), and Katie (Rob). Their shared faith led them to build their second home, within the walls of St. Michael Catholic Church in Sterling Heights. It was there where Fred gave selflessly throughout his 50-year membership and found some of the greatest friends of his life within the Knights of Columbus. Our family often joked that he was busier in retirement than he was while working, since he quickly filled his days with service and grandchildren. His most cherished titles in life were Dad, Papa, Pops and Popsicle. He was the father that tortured us with tickles, played catch with us in the backyard, sat through our dance recitals, cheered on the band from the stands, coached our teams, watched our plays, helped us with household repairs, and supported our dreams. He was unwavering in his support and did his best each day to guide us toward bright futures. The shine in his eye was never brighter than when he was in the company of his eight grandchildren (Connor, Dylan, Libby, Will, Colin, Eli, Nora, and Ella). Those young hearts have been filled with a lifetime of memories and love. Please join us in celebrating Fred’s wonderful life. Visitation Monday March 23rd from 3-9pm with a 7pm Knights of Columbus Rosary service followed by sharing memories of Fred by family and friends. Funeral Tuesday March 24th. Instate 10:30am at St. Michael Catholic Church 40501 Hayes (Btw 17 & 18 Mile Rds) until time of Mass 11am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Knights of Columbus council #13799 (40501 Hayes Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48313) or the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinsons Wellness. Share memories with the family at their "On-Line Guest Book" @ WujekCalcaterra.com

Frederick William Knapp

April 8, 1947 - March 21, 2026