Martin Frank

FRANK, Martin Born May 21, 1921 passed away March 4, 2011. Predeceased by his wife Marianne and brothers Felix and Hubert. Survived by his son William (Shelley) daughters Patsy, Susan, Barbara (Paul), grandchildren Devon, Lindsay, step-grandson Kelly (Emma), sister Lydia and sister-in-laws Renate and Resi. The family wished to extend their deep appreciation to Margaret Schneider, his devoted family friend of 50 years for the love and care she has given to Martin over his last remaining years. Martin served as a soldier during WWII, fighting in Russia, France and Africa. Born in Germany, he immigrated to Canada, becoming a dairy farmer in Aldergrove until his retirement in 2003. Opa enjoyed Lindsay's cookies and their special handshake. Opa had a special bond with Devon sharing an interest in history and watching hockey, and wrestling together. Martin loved long country drives and looked forward to playing crib, wizard and 3-spot with his family and longtime friends. We love you, Dad. Please join us to remember Martin at a Celebration of Life to be held on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 5:00 pm at 1735 - 256 Street, Aldergrove. In lieu of flowers donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated.

Arrangements under the direction of Henderson's Langley Funeral Home, Langley, BC.

Martin Frank immigrated to Canada from Germany in 1951. He worked as a farm labourer in Quebec for half a year and then went to British Columbia, where he found seasonal work in logging on the Queen Charlottes and Vancouver Island. He placed an ad in the paper hoping to find more permanent work. Through this ad, he began to work for Major Hugh Fraser as ranch manager for Fraser Ranches and SYL Ranch in Penticton. After three years of saving his money he purchased forty acres of bush land on North Jackman Road for $3,000, on what is now Gloucester Estates.

In 1955, Martin sent for Marianne Herdlitschke, Marianne suffered through two weeks of sea sickness before arriving in Halifax from Germany on a French ship, the “Santa Maria”. After travelling by train to Kelowna, she was met by Martin, not with the customary flowers, but with a car filled with bananas. Martin had heard how much Marianne loved bananas.

They were married on February 6, 1955, in a civil ceremony and three weeks later on February 28 in a church ceremony. For a short while, Martin and Marianne lived in a small rented cabin across from Martin’s property in Aldergrove. However, with Marianne unable to speak English, they found the isolation difficult. They then moved to West Vancouver where Marianne learned English working as a nanny and housekeeper for Mrs. Dick, owner of the B.C. Bearing Company, while Martin worked as gardener and maintenance man.

After a year, they moved to Vancouver, where Martin worked in a foundry and Marianne worked at Nelson’s Laundry. All their free time was spent at the Aldergrove property, clearing the land. In 1957, they were offered $16,000 for the property by Gloucester Laing, an offer they accepted.

In July 1957, they purchased a forty-five acre farm on Coghlan Road from the Scottneys. Their friends wondered why they would purchase a property that required so much work rather than buying a nice home in Vancouver for less.

They moved into the largest of the three houses on the property, turning one house into a storage shed and the other into a chicken house. An outhouse provided bathroom facilities.

The land was mostly bush, with twenty acres of rough clearing under the power lines. There were many stumps, some five or six feet in diameter. Martin remembers using forty-two sticks of dynamite on one particularly large stump. The blast rattled the windows, but only split the stump in half.

Marianne and Martin started the dairy farm with twelve cows and quota they purchased with a bank loan from a nearby farmer who was retiring. The cows were milked in the original barn by machine, and the cans of milk were stored in cold water in a tiny milkhouse. Every day the cans were hauled to the road to be picked up by the Fraser Valley Milk Producers. This little milkhouse and a small workshop are the only original buildings left standing.

The early years were very difficult. Just when they had taken out an additional loan to purchase another four hundred pounds of quota from the Van Diepens, the Milk Board revoked one quarter of their quota. Farm machinery and new barns were needed. Martin put in long hours working the farm and the fields. They peeled and dried cascara bark to sell to the Otter Farmers’ Institute. They smoked their own hams and made their own sausage. Marianne always kept an extra large garden to share with friends who came out every summer to help with the haying.

Martin designed and built the main home in 1966. Here the Franks raised their four children - Bill, Patsy, Susan and Barb. In 1970 they purchased an additional adjoining twenty acres from their neighbor, Mr. Sarnowski. Over the years they increased their herd and built new buildings for their growing dairy business.

Marianne learned how to drive a car in 1978 and enjoyed many years working part-time as a nurse’s aide at Highland Lodge in Langley. She retired in 1996 and is now helping to care for her grandchildren, Devon and Lindsay.

Martin and Marianne have recently completed building a third home on the southeast corner of their property. The other houses on the property are occupied by their son Bill and daughter Barb, who share the running of the farm with Martin. Marianne and Martin are enjoying their new home, inviting their friends over to play “Three Spot” and striving to take life easy.