John Fraker CHARLOTTE - John Anthony Fraker, beloved husband, father, and brother, died on July 25, 2016, after a brief illness. John was born on July 15, 1947 in Saginaw, Michigan. He attended Arthur Hill High School and Central Michigan University. At CMU, he was active in the anti-Vietnam War movement, organized the students' Tenants Union, and was the editor and publisher of the Collegian's Advisor, a successful satirical student newspaper. After earning a BS degree in Biology, John did graduate studies in filmmaking. Upon graduation, John moved to Idaho, where he did construction work and lived in a teepee for a year. He then moved to New York City to work in the film business. He started as a film editor, first for commercials and later in TV news and sports. He also began to direct and edit documentaries. With three other filmmakers, he shot and edited the documentary The Phans of Jersey City, about a large displaced Vietnamese family coping with immigrant life in the US. The film was included in the prestigious New Directors Series at the Museum of Modern Art. In the late 1970s, he formed Rosenberg Fraker Productions with partner Aleks Rosenberg, where he began to direct commercials, corporate films, and a new art form called the music video. He directed videos featuring recording artists including Aerosmith, Janis Ian, The Ramones, Jennifer Holiday, Foghat, The Bay City Rollers, Jeff Beck, Robbie Krieger, The Ventures, and many others. Eventually he went into business for himself with his company Fraker Productions, where he produced and directed corporate films and commercials for such clients as American Express, Squibb-Bristol Myers, AT&T, The New York Knicks, the National Education Association, People Magazine, Met Life, M&M/Mars, and others. John and his family moved to Charlotte in 2002. He retired several years ago and has devoted much of his time since then to home improvement and to working on his yard and garden, the pride of the neighborhood. He also loved attending shows at Northwest School of the Arts, and was singularly proud of the achievements and talents of his wife's students there. John is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughter Paige (the light of his life), sister Suzanne Fraker of Chicago, mother-in-law Ruth Weathers, brothers-in-law Richard Lodge and Dr. Charles Stroup, and sister-in-law Judy Stroup. He also loved his many cousins, nieces, and nephew and especially his Aunt Helen. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Barbara Fraker of Portage, Michigan, and brother-in-law Martin Rapoport of Chicago. The family would like to express their gratitude for the loving care provided by the nursing staff at the Pavilion Health Center at Brightmore, and the selfless and caring staff of Liberty Hospice. Services will be On Thursday, July 28, at 2:00PM at McEwen Funeral Services, 5716 Monroe Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Northwest School of the Arts Theatre Arts Guild (NWSATAG), 1415 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216.