I met Frank in Iowa in 1965.  Frank, Rob and I roomed together at college for 1-2 years.  One of Frank and my adventures during this time was when one of my friends from New York came to Iowa, and the three of us went west to Yellowstone Park.  We took the trip -- both ways! -- in my blue and purple 1957 Studebaker President station wagon.  In South Dakota we were stopped by the police:  What are three young men doing driving a car?  Is it stolen?  Who is the owner?  I was sleeping in the back; after being rudely awakened, I showed him the paperwork on the car, satisfying him that all was OK.  The rest of the trip was without incident.  

Frank and I got to know each other so much better during that trip and afterwards that in 1973, I asked him to be my Best Man at my wedding; he did so!  

My wife, Karen, remembers that when we were living in South Carolina, Frank came for a visit.  Finding out that we were planning a garden, he decided to spade the garden for us.  Although we discouraged him -- Frank!  You have no idea how hard Carolina soil is! -- Frank took our spading fork and went to work in the garden.  When he returned (i.e. gave up!) 30 minutes or so later, he appeared embarassed to have been defeated by Carolina soil!  Our impression of Carolina soil was -- wet it, form it into 2X3X8 blocks, leave it in the sun and you'll get - - -  voila!  bricks!  i.e. hard, solid, strong, not easily broken with a spading fork!

When our son, Kevin, was born in 1989, he quickly learned about his "Uncle Frank", and would call Frank that.  And Frank was a very good uncle to Kevin.  

From time to time Frank would send us a "care package" with food from Connecticut.  It would be wrapped so tightly and so well that it would take us an hour with sharp knoves to get into the box!  We would return a gift box of Nebraska items.

Frank joined us on our last 2 trips to New England.  One one, we stayed and took sightseeing trips around Smuggler's Notch, Vermont.  Then in December of 2013, we spent 5 nights in Newport, RI.  During the days we'd sightsee around the area in spite of the snow on the ground and the forecasts.  When we drove up Cape Cod Frank reminisced about other trips to and stays in the area with his relatives.  And during these vacations, Frank would treat us to many delicious and varied meals at restaurants en route.

Thank you, Frank, for all the memories, for all you've done for us.  We will miss you.

Jim, Karen & Kevin Swartz