Gary Frame, 83
Gary Allan Frame, 83, passed into the presence of the Lord on Dec. 21. Born in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Allan C. and Leah K. (Straub) Frame on June 15, 1939, he was fortunate enough to attend both Coeur d’Alene High School and the University of Idaho, from where he graduated as a civil engineer in 1962. Marrying his lifetime love and partner, Carlene Kaye (Erickson) Frame, in Coeur d’Alene in 1961, they were blessed to be able to live, work and recreate here for the rest of their lives.
Over the next several years, they bore and raised three more Vikings, sons Scott and Kevin and daughter Christie. During the 1960s, Gary participated in the design, survey and construction of the forest highway up the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River from Big Hank Meadow to McPherson’s Ranch. Other enjoyable duties in that decade included the design and construction of forest roads, lookouts, bridges, campgrounds and related infrastructure in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest. Following a couple of years of work in Spokane as a field engineer with the Portland Cement Association, Gary continued to remain in the Coeur d’Alene area, where he co-founded the civil engineering and survey firm of LePard & Frame (currently Frame & Smetana). While enjoying a full 30 years of working with wonderful employees and clients, he designed, constructed and placed his professional stamp on many of the developments in Kootenai County. Being rather lucky as well as blessed, he drew on every controlled hunt that the Idaho Fish and Game had, filling his tag on each one, many of the adventures being with his sons. A lifelong member of St. Paul Memorial/Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, he was privileged to actively participate in the leadership, teaching and expansion of their facilities here in Coeur d’Alene. He also assumed an active role in Bible Study Fellowship for almost a decade. After retirement in 1999, he enjoyed a dozen years of backpacking the Americas with his buddies, and he and Carlene upped their tempo of checking out the rest of the world. As they entered their 70s, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with one last world trip, thereafter mainly spending their time away from their home either at their lake cabin or dragging their travel trailer around the Pacific Northwest.
Gary is survived by his three children, Scott, Kevin and Christie; and his three grandchildren, Morgan, Nathaniel and Carlee; and a brother, Jim and his wife, Catherine.
Funeral service for Gary will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Coeur d’Alene Bible Church at 5350 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Interment will be at Forest Cemetery. Arrangements are provided by Yates Funeral Home. Online registry and condolences may be found at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.
