Helen Marie Frank

Helen Marie (Krier) Frank was born October 9, 1927, to George and Jenness (Best) Krier in Brooklyn, NY. An only child, she attended South Side High School in Rockville Centre, NY. She completed her Associates of Arts degree at Centenary College in Hackettstown, NJ. After graduating, she worked in New York City. While vacationing in Virginia Beach, VA, with her girlfriends, she met her future husband, William Calvin Frank, a soon-to-be architect. They married on June 10, 1950, initially living in Brooklyn, but moving to New Canaan, CT, shortly after the birth of their first daughter, Brandie Lee, in 1952. Bill, Jr., came along in 1954; Suzanne Krier, in 1957; and Heather Marie in 1961.

The years in New Canaan were memorable. Helen and Bill made many life-long friends, participated in many activities, and enjoyed life. Helen was not only a very good tennis player, but also played a mean game of bridge and with Bill, became an avid sailor and intermediate skier. In the wintertime, weekends were spent in Sugarbush, Vermont, skiing and having lunch in the Wunderbar. During the summer, the family would take sailing trips to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. One memorable sail was down the coast of New England, from Maine to Connecticut. Helen was the only member of the crew that didn’t get seasick!

Helen was a member of the New Canaan Congregational Church and sang in the choir. For many years she served as a volunteer treasurer on the board for New Canaan Mounted Troop, a youth development and therapeutic equestrian center.

In 1979, Helen and Bill moved to Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Bill went to work for Stouffer’s Corporation in the architecture department, and Helen took a position working in the Quality Control Department. Here they developed friendships with their neighbors and co-workers, and joined the Federated Church, where Helen was a valued choir member. One of her most satisfying activities was serving as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

In the late 80’s, Helen and Bill bought a house in Fort Myers, FL. In 1990, they moved permanently to enjoy their retirement years in the Sunshine State. There they reunited with a group of friends they had known in Connecticut. She joined the Fort Myers United Church of Christ, finding a spiritual home and a place in the choir as well. She was an active parishioner, serving as an usher and on membership and other committees. Helen continued to play tennis and bridge, took up golf and enjoyed playing penny-ante dominos.

Helen’s husband passed away on November 3, 2006. She remained in Fort Myers until April of 2019, when she moved to Covenant Living of Colorado in Westminster, Colorado. As usual she made many friends and participated in the daily activities of her new community, playing bridge, bingo and dominos. She enjoyed swimming in the pool, finding enjoyment in or near the water as she had her whole life.

Helen was outgoing, patient and kind. She loved social situations of all kinds, including hosting parties and events. She easily made friends that she kept for a lifetime. She enjoyed a long and fulfilling life, and spent her last days with her youngest daughter, Heather, caring for and comforting her during her time as a hospice patient.

Her family thanks all those who helped bring her comfort as her body left us and her soul soared to its final destination.

A memorial service is planned for Wednesday, June 21, at 2 p.m. at Smith Hall, Covenant Living of Colorado, 9153 Yarrow Street, Westminster, Colorado.

Final interment of both Helen’s and Bill’s ashes will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, CO, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to any of the following organizations:

The Denver Hospice (thedenverhospice.org/giving)

The American Cancer Society (donate.cancer.org)

Covenant Living of Colorado (covliving.org/contact-us/donation)

Fort Myers United Church of Christ (fmcucc.org)