Frank was born in Forsyth, Montana. His father was a blacksmith and dowser; his mother a nurse. They always found work during those hard-scrabble times, living in several small towns in Montana. At the age of 17, with parental permission, he joined the Marine Corps. He rode the rails from Forsyth to San Diego where he was trained and shipped out to Midway Island. Although he told us a lot of stories growing up, he didn’t talk much of Midway. When the war was over he moved to Port Townsend and found work at Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill. He was employed from 1946-1982.
He met his wife, Marian, in Bremerton. She, along with many North Dakotan women, came out to help with the war effort, working at the Bremerton Shipyard. They married on July 17, 1947. They lived in an apartment downtown, a beach house at Adelma, a rental on Garfield Street before finally purchasing a home on the top of Morgan Hill where they raised four children.
He enjoyed babies, dogs, fishing, and football. He loved country music and the great outdoors. He stayed physically fit and went jogging way before it was a “thing.” He juggled, stood on his head, balanced babies in the palm of his hand, made bacon pancakes. “I learned it in the Marine Corps.” was his response to all the amazing things he did.
We are so grateful to have been raised in Port Townsend where we had beaches and trails and a Dad who taught us to light a fire, fish, hike, and swim. He taught us to row a boat, ride a bike, shift a motorcycle, drive a car, and pound a nail. We would like to thank all of his walking buddies; you enriched his old age with your friendship. Thank you to the greatest neighbors in the universe, up here on Morgan Hill. Thank you to 7 Cedars for being a great place for an old man to have fun. He spent his last years at Josephine Sunset Home in Stanwood where he was lovingly cared for by a skilled staff; we thank them all.
He was proud of his grandchildren, Dallas, Michelle and Elizabeth. He got a kick out of his great-grandchildren, Orion, Lincoln and Odin. He was loved by his grand-dog Wilson, whom he had a special connection with in his old age. So let’s all put on some Dolly Parton and toast Frank with a cold can of Rainier! He had a full life.
