Frank S. Bangs Jr.

Born in Dallas, Texas, on September 23rd, 1943, to Frank “Bud” Bangs Sr. and Margaret Wilson Bangs, Frank grew up in Wichita, Kansas, with his younger sister, Ruth Mary. He attended Wichita East High School, where he distinguished himself on the debate team, and continued a family tradition by attending the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Frank enrolled in NROTC and, after graduation, received a commission in the US Navy. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant and served a two-year tour as the Communications Officer on the USS Basilone, a destroyer, during the Vietnam War.

After his service, Frank enrolled in the University of Kansas Law School and received a J.D. in 1970. Also in 1970, Frank married Gail E. Gregory. Following law school, Frank obtained an L.L.M in urban law from Washington University Law School in St. Louis and subsequently became editor of land use law publications for the American Planning Association (APA) in Chicago.

In 1974, Frank and Gail welcomed their first child, Andrew, and the family moved to Tucson. After passing the Arizona Bar Exam, Frank was hired by the City Attorney’s Office, where he worked for many years. Frank and Gail’s daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1981.

In 1983, Frank moved into private practice, focusing on real estate with a speciality in land-use law. Frank worked at several firms in Tucson, including Winston and Strawn, Lewis & Roca, and Lazarus, Silvyn & Bangs. After his retirement in 2014, Frank received the Arizona Planning Association Distinguished Planning Pioneer Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the planning profession. Frank was known and appreciated by many in Tucson’s business community as the person who streamlined the City of Tucson's zoning, land-use, and building regulations and processes. Reflecting his commitment to improving and maintaining his community, Frank served as president of his neighborhood’s HOA in his retirement.

Frank’s children remember him for encouraging and embodying a love of reading, writing, education, and the arts. He was never without a book and was a daily reader of newspapers and magazines. Like both his mother and father, Frank was a dedicated correspondent to family and friends worldwide.

An ardent supporter of Tucson’s local arts institutions, Frank was a loyal contributor and listener to jazz and classical music on AZPM Public Radio, as well as a patron of The Arizona Theater Company and The Loft Theater.

Frank also loved the Sonoran Desert and Tucson’s landscapes—often hiking in Pima and Sabino Canyons—and led family and friends on hikes to the summit of Mt. Wrightson. Always intrigued by desert flora and fauna, he frequently shared photos of desert birds and other creatures with his grandchildren.

In 2008, Frank married Pamela Holzmiller. Both were enthusiastic travelers who loved exploration and learning about other cultures. Frank and Pamela traveled together extensively to Europe, Japan, Central America, and across the United States. Los Angeles was a frequent destination for visiting his cherished children and grandchildren—as well as Pamela’s son Michael Holzmiller, his wife Shannon, and their children Cameron and Chasen. Frank and Pamela’s combined families spent many holidays together, especially Thanksgiving, when Frank’s homemade pies often featured prominently.

Frank is survived by his son, Andrew Bangs (Sara Flores), his daughter, Elizabeth Bangs (Matt Oberg), and his three granddaughters, Cleo Bangs, and Josephine and Lillian Oberg.

Frank was preceded in death by his wife, Pamela. The family will hold a memorial and celebration of life for Frank and Pamela Bangs in February 2026.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Arizona Public Media would be deeply appreciated.