Ronald Eugene Frank

Ronald Eugene Frank passed away on November 9, 2018, in Chandler, Arizona. He was born on April 17th, 1935 to Harry and Josephine Frank in Mohall, North Dakota and was the youngest of seven children. The family moved to Port Orchard, Washington when Ron was six years old, where he lived until attending college on a ROTC Scholarship at Seattle University. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Ron married Irene Marie Thompson in 1957 and they started their own family of seven. He began his career at Boeing in Seattle while working on his Master’s Degree at the University of Washington and raising their first three children.

The family moved to Huntsville, Alabama where their fourth child arrived, then to New Orleans, and on to Littleton, Colorado where number five was born. They then headed to Baltimore and then Kingsville, Maryland and finally back to Littleton. Here the last two children joined the family. During their moves, Ron worked for Martin Marietta on several different missions.

In 1975 the family moved to Glendale, California where Ron worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Viking flight team to Mars. They returned to the same home in Littleton in 1977 and Ron worked for a top secret program for almost 10 years and finally retired at the age of 55.

Ron loved sports and played tennis, golf, basketball, softball and was on several bowling teams. His favorite past times were coaching his children’s teams all the years they grew up and watching sports on TV, especially the Denver Broncos.

Ron is survived by his brother Robert Frank of Burien, Washington and his children: Laurel (John) Gilbert of Edmond, Oklahoma; Marty (Lori) Frank of Greeley, Colorado; Tom Frank of Gilbert, Arizona; John Frank of Chandler, Arizona; Mary (DJ) Hartley of Dillon, Colorado; Katy (Gerard) Palmieri of Leawood, Kansas and Claire (Tom) Fundaro of Paso Robles, California, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, fourteen grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two more on the way. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Irene; his second wife, June; his siblings, Evelyn Ashbaugh, Alice Iverson, Helen Keiffer, Ray Frank and Cecelia Gove; and his granddaughter, Julia Gilbert.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, November 30 at 10:00 A.M. at Saint Steven’s Catholic Church, 24827 S. Dobson Rd., Sun Lakes, AZ 85248, with the Rosary at 9:15 A.M. Interment will follow at 1:30 P.M. at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 1500 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85204. In Lieu of Flowers the family requests donations be made in Ronald's name to Hospice of the Valley 1510 E Flower Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85014