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Note: n of the city and were members of St. Raphael's Church where FX was baptized, confirmed and attended grade school. He is known as "Fran" and "Frank", but was always "Francis" to his father.
His godparents were family friends, Bert & Kate Enders who lived in Wexford, PA, a Pittsburgh suburb. A significant memory of his childhood was the death of his older brother Joe in September of 1929 in a drowning accident. It was then that he recalls his only meeting with his Houlihan grandparents (see Notes; J.J. Houlihan). He was a Boy Scout in Pittsburgh and recalls going to camp outside the city. On several occasions, the family went to Atlantic City via train during the summer, his mother taking rooms at a hotel along the boardwalk, joined by her husband on weekends.
The Depression hit the family hard: his father became unemployed and eventually lost the family home. In the late summer of 1936 the family moved to Detroit, MI where his father had found work. He graduated from the parish high school, St. Anthony's High School, Detroit, MI, in June 1940 and briefly attended the University of Detroit, September, 1940 - May, 1941. He went to work at Nash Detroit, a Nash auto dealership until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in June, 1942. While in the service he was an airplane engine mechanic. His service included time in the Panama Canal Zone and Lincoln, Nebraska. After the war, he returned to work at Nash Detroit where he worked in the parts department and eventually became manager there.
He and Marion Ritter met in 1945/6 at St. Joseph's Hospital, East Grand Blvd., Detroit where his mother was a patient and both his sister, Mary Kathryn, and Marion were nurses. They married in 1947 at Holy Name Church, Van Dyke Ave., Detroit and lived first in a flat in Highland Park, MI where they were living when their first child was born, Mary Beth. While there, they were members of St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Highland Park.
In about 1950/51 he worked at a dealership in Lansing, MI, but returned to the Detroit area in 1952. They bought a new home in Oak Park, MI at 13675 Hart Street. He became Service Manager for Northwest Chevrolet in Detroit, and later Matthews Hargreaves Chevrolet, Birmingham, MI and Fuller Chevrolet in Pontiac and Lapeer, MI, the latter from which he retired in 1985. During the years in Oak Park, they were members of Our Lady of LaSalette Church, Berkley, MI and all the children other than Mary Beth were baptized there. While working at Matthews Hargreaves, he won a week-long trip to Spain and speaks fondly of their time there.
In June, 1985 he and Marion sold the Hart St. house and moved to 1741 Northstar Drive, Petaluma, CA near where daughter Mary Beth and son Michael were living in Marin county and son Patrick in Sacramento, later Santa Rosa. They were members of St. James Church in Petaluma and FX was active in both gardening, past volunteer work at Petaluma Valley Hospital and church activities. Always known for his beautiful lawn and garden, he won awards from city beautification groups in both Oak Park and Petaluma. During his retirement, he worked part time for awhile at a gas station in Petaluma for extra cash and continued to enjoy taking car trips. He and Mom traveled throughout northern California as well as to Texas to visit son John and wife Nancy in Dallas and his cousin Mary Ethel in Houston and to southern California to visit daughter Maureen and husband Dave in Chula Vista and a high school friend in Long Beach.
Diagnosed with COPD in ~1992 after a bout with pneumonia and a lung resection, he took good care of himself, religiously taking breathing meds, exercising and attending Better Breathers classes. By ~2005 he needed oxygen occasionally, the need gradually increasing. After abdominal surgery to remove a suspected colon tumor, he healed poorly because of his long years of prednisone useage. Hospice of Petaluma and Eva, a home health aide from Fiji, helped his through his last months. He died quietly at home after a brief coma of about 36 hours; his last meal was a plate of french toast made by son-in-law Bob Wheeler.
Obituary of Francis X. Houlihan in the "Santa Rosa (CA) Press Democrat," edition of 4 Feb. 2008 and the "Detroit Free Press," edition of 6 Feb. 2008:
HOULIHAN FRANCIS Passed away at the age of 85. February 1, 2008 at his home in Petaluma. Frank moved to Detroit, Michigan from Pittsburgh with his family during the depression. There he finished school and met and married Marion Ritter in 1947. Lived in Oak Park, MI from 1951 until retiring to Petaluma in 1986. He enjoyed a long career in the automobile business in service parts and sales management of several Chevrolet dealers in suburban Detroit. Frank served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, stationed in the Panama Canal zone. Long time member of LaSalette Church in Berkley, MI and St. James in Petaluma. Frank was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers and S.F. Giants, a loyal Detroit Lions and 49er's fan and a life long "subway alumni" of Notre Dame. He was an award winning gardener in Michigan and Petaluma, a formidable crossword puzzler. Frank is survived by his loving wife, Marion R. Houlihan of Petaluma. Cherished father of Mary Beth (Bob) Wheeler of Novato, Patrick (Susan) Houlihan of Santa Rosa, Maureen (David) Griffin of Vancouver, Washington, Mike (Meg) Houlihan, of Novato, and John (Nancy) Houlihan, of Lake Orion, MI. Beloved grandfather of Lauren, Marissa, Joseph, Jacob, Nicholas, Sean, Rachel, and Masha. Predeceased by parents John J. and Kathryn Houlihan, brother Joseph and sisters Mary Kay and Regina. Services were held Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church, Petaluma, California. Interment, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Petaluma, CA."
At Calvary Cemetery, Petaluma, he is buried in St. Paul Lawn, row 6, grave 9.
Note: Francis X. Houlihan, father of this author, was born in Pittsburgh, the second son of John J. (Joe) Houlihan and Kathryn Veronica Gallagher Houlihan. He and his family lived in the Morningside sectio
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