John LeRoy Frank, 74

On January 20, 2022, John LeRoy Frank passed away at home with his family by his side. He was 74 years old and had been a warrior in a 10-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

John was intensely curious and a voracious lifetime learner. He was an early technology adopter and taught himself to use a computer many years before they were commonplace in homes. He was always eager to try new programs and applications and he enjoyed sharing what he learned. John loved facts, spreadsheets, charts, history, dams, geology, geography, railroads, mines and GIS maps. He knew all the federal and state road route numbers and nomenclature. He was our Rand McNally.

In his last year, John discovered Central Washington University Professor Nick Zentner’s geology classes on YouTube and he was hooked! He watched every class at least once. John said, “the students are lucky that I am not officially registered in the class because I would kill the curve” and he would have! He would replay the classes for family, friends, and his nurses. He was taking classes within 5 days of his passing. He could not believe that anyone would not be excited to learn about his favorite topics.

John always wanted to understand how things work and would spend hours reading and researching the topic of the day. He could fix anything and was never afraid to take something apart and reassemble it so he could see for himself how it worked. John loved camping, fishing, and hunting. He also enjoyed playing poker and craps and watching Gonzaga University basketball with his wife, a proud GU alumnus and an avid basketball fan. John was a good sport and readily entertained her desire to support the benchwarmers as much as the starters.

John L. Frank was born on December 3, 1947. He was the fifth of six sons of Minerva Jane (Dunn) Frank and miner Thomas John Frank. The boys were close - all born within 9 years - and each of the three big boys had a little boy counterpart. They were raised in a busy, rambunctious household in the heyday of the Silver Valley. John graduated from Kellogg High School in 1966.

In April of 1967, John was introduced to Diane Chase at his grandpa Dunn’s birthday party and they began dating. He was drafted into the US Army in July 1967 and served the year 1968 in Fourth Infantry Division in Vietnam. Diane wrote a letter to him every day he was deployed and regularly sent him care packages with treats he shared with his compatriots. He received several medals for his service including a Combat Infantryman’s Badge and a Purple Heart. John was both proud of his military service and passionate in his belief that our country and its citizens should do everything possible to avoid subjecting our young men and women to the tragedies of war.

After being honorably discharged from the Army with a Sergeant E5 rank, he returned to Kellogg and began an electrical apprenticeship at the Bunker Hill smelter. In August of 1969, John and Diane were married at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene and they agreed to raise their children in the Catholic tradition.

In 1971 seeking better opportunities, John accepted an inside wireman electrical apprenticeship with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 73. After 4 years, John turned out as inside journeyman wireman. He was a proud member of IBEW Local 73 for over 50 years. He was thankful that even when the local economy was bad, he could travel and find work to support the family. John maintained a spreadsheet recording the dates, wages, project sites and eight states in which he worked.

John was dedicated to the IBEW and believed the strength of the union was in its members participation. He lived this belief. At Local 73, he served on many committees including the health and welfare and the negotiating committees. He served as the Local 73 vice president and president and as an organizer. John loved working alongside apprentices and his children. He enjoyed teaching and modeling the pride of executing quality work and a great work ethic. He was also passionate about sharing the importance of investing in a person’s whole life and future – especially the value of prioritizing and funding quality health insurance and retirement. He was proud of the security the IBEW retirement plans provide their members. John embraced the ethos, business and community of the union.

Many years ago, when John was working as a foreman, his union brothers gave him the nickname “Rooster” for the way he carried himself with his skinny legs and barrel chest walking around supervising a jobsite. At his 2011 retirement party, to both congratulate and rib John, they gave him a giant card with his face Photoshopped onto the Looney Tune character Foghorn Leghorn. John appreciated the banter and when we got his long-awaited fishing boat that year, he appropriately named it “Rooster’s Roost.”

During their married life of 52 years, John and Diane’s family grew to include five children: Stacey, John B., Molly, Hilary and Stephanie; 4 married-in children: Bobbie, Troy, Morgan and Tim; and 3 grandchildren: Avery, Shelby and Julia - all of whom he loved with all his heart. John believed in every one of them. He encouraged and took pride in their ability to think intelligently and independently. He always said, “All of our children taught us more about life than we ever taught them.”

We have always been a close family and we have scheduled as many special events and trips as possible over the last ten years. Family memories include an Alaskan cruise, 2 weddings, 3 college graduations, meeting our newest grandchild, wintering in Las Vegas and attending many away Gonzaga University basketball games, WCC basketball tournaments, and RV trips to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks and the Oregon coast.

All of this living has been possible due to an amazing group of people including the team of Seattle’s Virginia Mason Medical Center (especially Drs Biehl, Hubka, Kirtland, Song, Siddique, Picozzi, Beiter and their incredible staffs) – who performed and provided all the assessments, surgeries, radiation treatments, chemotherapies and palliative care that helped John live longer; nurse consultant Jitana who helped us navigate medical advocacy in the first tumultuous year of treatment; All Heart Infusion nurses Renae and Whitney who provided in-home IV fluids that provided comfort – easing his breathing and lessen dizziness; Meghan Gregg at Kootenai Diabetes Clinic; Dr. Queen who has cared for our family over many years; CNS nurses Lois, Doris, Liz, Dave, Cassie, Tiffany and Sadie who provided professional nursing and friendship and were great students of geology; Hospice of North Idaho especially Liz and Will who guided us through his final week; historian Sara Jane for the many wonderful conversations and laughter as she interviewed John and Diane about our life stories.

When John was diagnosed, the pancreatic cancer statistics were 6% of patients lived 5 years. In the 10 years that he lived there were many difficult times and challenges, but most importantly there was priceless, irreplaceable joy. Our entire family will have eternal gratitude as we know that John could not have beat the terrible pancreatic cancer odds without all of these professionals and their care.

John is predeceased by his parents Thomas and Minerva Frank; his brothers Bill, Ray, Gerald, Paul and Jim Frank; sister-in-law Darla Frank; brother-in-law Tim Chase; and father-in-law James Chase.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Diane Frank; 5 adult children Stacey (Troy) Peterson, John Brendon (Bobbie) Frank, Molly Frank, Hilary (Morgan) Frank, Stephanie (Tim) Webb; 3 grandchildren Avery Frank, Shelby Frank and Julia Webb; mother-in-law Colleen Chase; sisters-in-law Karen Grindle, Shelly Frank, Evonne Frank, Connie Frank, Lorraine Chase; brother-in-law Mike Chase; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and their children; and his IBEW brothers and sisters.

The family is taking time to privately grieve. The John L. Frank Memorial Gathering will be held on Sunday July 17, 2022 at 11:00 am at Elk Point Events on Potlatch Hill overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene. All family and friends are welcome. Please email JohnLFrankMemorialGathering@gmail.com or leave a message or text 509.499.0646 for more details. There will be a service celebrating his life followed by a reception so we all have the opportunity to visit and share our stories with each other. He would expect nothing less! Memorial contributions may be made to causes that are near and dear to our family and John: All Heart Infusion – the amazing non-profit organization who cares for many in our community; or the IBEW Local 73 Sick and Needy Fund.

John was a remarkable, beloved man who will be tremendously missed. We are comforted to know that he stayed with us as long as there was more joy than pain; that he is no longer struggling; and that his soul will continue to learn and guide us in our life journeys.