Obit: Fralick, Clayton H. III "Clay" (1952 – 2019)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Fralick, Frakes, McFarlane, Humphreys, Kemsley, Patton, Liefring

Source: Tribune/Record/Gleaner (Abbotsford, WI) 27 Mar 2019

Fralick, Clayton H. III "Clay" (1952 – 21 MAR 2019)

Clayton “Clay” Harold Fralick III, Greenwood, passed away suddenly on the evening of Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Clay’s story began in Milwaukee in 1952, where he lived until he was 5 years old. From there he moved to California with his mom and siblings and grew up near LA. After high school, Clay soon found a passion for precision sheet metal fabrication. Through the years he worked hard honing his skills, eventually creating pieces for well-knowns such as the band Chicago, NASA, and John Denver, with whom he became friends. In the 1970s, Clay and his step-father, Doug, started Metal Crafters, which to this day is a successful company lead now by his younger brother, Scott. After having their first baby, Carrie, with Katherine Frakes, Clay decided to slow life down and moved his little family back to his beloved Wisconsin. Together they bought a farm near Greenwood. Clay thoroughly enjoyed farming, but as his family grew with the addition of two sons, Clayton IV and Craig, he decided to go in a different direction. After obtaining his CDL, he drove for Roehl Transport and later Grassland Dairy until the early 2000s, when that entrepreneurial spirit hit yet again and Midwest Trailer Sales was created. Over the next 10 years the family continued to grow the business to include sales from coast to coast across the USA. After closing and retiring in 2010, Clay kept busy joining Berg Equipment of Marshfield and then Domine Auto of Loyal. In 2014 he took the leap into real estate joining First Weber Inc., where as always, he learned quickly and became successful. Through the years, Clay found a love for horses, golfing, snowmobiling and cycles. His latest dream was to own a 1946 Harley panhead. This past winter he and Sharon had several fabulous trips on the sleds and he was already excitedly warming up the Harleys for summer adventures. Clay was a classic — intelligent, fearless, creative, multi-talented, loving and adventurous. And yes, sometimes he could even be a challenge, but we all loved him with our whole hearts and now he’s left a different kind of hole in our hearts. Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round.

Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. (As a personal note, our short time together has been one hell of a ride, my love! Thank you!)

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Sharon, of Greenwood; three children: Carrie (Todd) McFarlane of Neillsville, Clayton H. (Nicole) Fralick IV of Eau Claire, and Craig (Beth) Fralick of Minneapolis, Minn.; a step-son: Jeremy Cronin of Greenwood; five grandchildren; his sister: Terry Fralick of Citrus Heights, Calif.; his brothers: Steve Fralick of Bozeman, Mont., and Scott (Corinne) Humphreys of Simi Valley, Calif; his step-fathers: Douglas (Laura) Humphreys of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and John “Jack” Kemsley of Carmel, Calif.; his mother-in-law: Chris Patton of Greenwood; his sister-in-law: Simone (Jay) Lieffring of Elk Mound; his brother-in-law: Michael (Rhonda) Patton of Denver, Colo.; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com. 

Cuddie Funeral Home, Greenwood, is assisting the family with arrangements.