Fred Roperti

Fred Roperti was born in Detroit and in 1942 his family moved to the“Country” in Livonia, it was a very rural area at the time.

His family began a dairy farm on 5 Mile Rd. and a few years later began raising turkeys where the turkey farm remains to this day.

Fred graduated from Plymouth High in 1949, attended Dearborn Junior College, and served in the Army for two years stationed in Japan. He returned home in 1956 where he enrolled at the University of Michigan, met his future wife and married in 1958. Following graduation from Michigan, they spent 4 years in California where Fred began his career in engineering working on the Polaris Missile Program. They returned to Livonia in 1963 where daughter Gina was born. Fred worked for Ford Motor Co. for 26 years and retired in 1997.

Fred and his wife discovered Salem Township when looking for a place to board their daughter’s horse. They liked it so much that in 1979 they purchased a 13 acre parcel on Curtis Rd and had a home and barn built.

Fred began volunteer work for the township after the loss of his wife in 1994. He worked on a Focus Salem committee as well as participating in Salem Community Events.

In 1996 Fred was appointed to the Planning Commission, and after two years became Chair, serving a total of 4 years.

In the year 2000 he was elected as Township Supervisor where he served for 8 years.

The one project Fred was proud to have led was the establishment of the Village Green Park in the Hamlet. A project funded through the generosity of the donors listed on the back of the entrance sign to the park.

Fred thanks the Salem Community Events for inviting him to be the Grand Marshall at this year’s Flag Day event. He has participated in this event for a number of years pulling hay rides for kids young and old, watching everyone have a good time. Fred says this year’s event as Grand Marshall will be very special for him; it’s an honor he will always remember.

At the parade: a tractor pull for families