If you’re expecting a “normal” obituary for Frank - nope. My husband would be mortified if I shared any details that would divulge too much or provide a hacker with enough personal information that would allow his identity to be stolen once he was gone. So, here is what I think he would like you to know about him.

Frank was born overseas on a military base - his Dad was in the Air Force. The family moved to Texas and then to California when Frank was young. They settled in Tracy, CA.

For those who knew Frank only as an adult, many would be surprised to know that, as a youngster, Frank was a little hellion! So much so in fact, his nickname was Buster. If you get the opportunity, ask his brothers Michael or Fred to share a few stories of a young Frank terrorizing his cousins or his brothers. It’s always a hoot and I hear a new one every time we’re together.

Frank went to school in the Tracy area and lived in the San Joaquin Valley most of his life.

Frank suffered some huge losses in his life and it shaped who he was. Frank lost his younger brother Ricky (Michael’s twin brother) at a young age; his older brother William who died in Vietnam and his sister-in-law Denise, who died of cancer at a young age. He was also in a near-fatal car crash and spent 7 weeks in the hospital. These losses made Frank cherish life! Although he wasn’t an overly demonstrative guy, he held his ‘’circle of people” small and close to his heart. He adored his family - he was one of those people who, when he said “family first” - he truly meant it.

Frank and I met at PDC, where we both worked for many years. We were both single parents, both VERY cautious about dating and were acquaintances for several years before we started dating. We started casually talking and things just evolved organically until one day I realized that he had wormed his way into my heart - and there he stays.

We married in 1995. Anyone who knows the both of us knows that we are both extremely independent and more than a little stubborn, so the deep love we came to share took a lot of work. In fact, on the day that we got married, Frank’s stepmom came up to me and said “Good luck….. You’re going to need it!” That made us both smile for our entire marriage.

Frank has two children - his daughter Erika and his son Michael. I have a son, Kenneth. Once we got married, he insisted that we were one family - no “stepkids”. We had three children, period - and his family was his innermost circle.  Frank wasn’t always an easy Dad or a “warm, fuzzy” Dad - but he loved his children fiercely - and that love only grew as they got older.

The car crash that Frank was in when he was younger took a toll on his health over the years. During the 28+ years we were married, Frank had 25 surgeries to correct issues resulting from the crash. Frank never complained about his lot in life - he just focused on getting better and getting about the business of life.

We moved to Colorado in 2010 with our job and for him, it was such a blessing. Frank loved life in Colorado!

Over the course of our life together, we had a blast together and with the kids. If we saw something that looked fun - we were there! One of the highlights of our lives was when we bought our first travel trailer and hit the road with our two cats (aka “the furry terrorists”). Frank had retired and I was still working, so the trailer and our trips became his hobby - and he loved it! In fact, he already had camping reservations for the entire 2024 summer season.

Frank is survived by me - his wife - his children and his grandchildren, Lukas and Zoe. He is also survived by his brothers, Fred and Michael and several nieces and one nephew. Many of his inner circle have gone before him - and I imagine he’s having a wonderful reunion in heaven with them.

What’s the most important thing to know about Frank? He was funny, honest, fair, faithful, loyal - and loved, with our whole hearts. Frank will be missed today and every day of our lives - until we meet again.

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