Frank E. Vissing

As a friend so perfectly described dad, “He was a gentleman and a Gentle Man”.

He loved his family, his friends, baseball, Christmas, his trains and his sweets, especially chocolate. He loved working on a house (usually at Christmas!) or simply building a bench. He could fix about anything he tinkered with. He loved his Hallmark Movies and he loved doing dishes! But most of all he loved entertaining and having everyone around him.

Dad was the 6th of 10 children born to Frank and Edna Vissing on East St Catherine St. He was the first boy after 5 girls and he was spoiled (with love) to say the least…even up to the age of 88. He started to work at the age of 6, helping deliver groceries from the street cart, and never stopped. He was an active and busy man his entire life. There are too many stories to tell, but one in particular involved him bringing home a pet goat as a young boy, tying it to Grandpa’s grape orchard and then waking up the next morning to find no grapes on the vines. Grandpa was obviously not happy, but his sisters protected him as usual.

He married our mother-Beverly Wilson- on December 23 1955 while on leave from the army. They raised 5 children (in 6 years) – Bobby, Cindy, Lisa, Mick and Rick – mostly at Germantown Baseball and Cherokee Park. He was integral in the development of Germantown Baseball and we spent every summer there playing ball. Ball, in general, was always a part of his life. Because he was such a great ball player, LG&E “hired” him at a young age to work in the gas department because they needed a good ball player for their traveling team. He traveled extensively with the LG&E ball team until his children came along. He then devoted his time to Germantown Baseball as a coach, mentor and leader. He later moved on to coaching his girls with the IRISH softball team.

He retired from LG&E at the age of 59 and never looked back. It was perfect timing, as he and mother could babysit their grandchildren Jeff, Chad and Amy. He loved every minute of it, spoiling them along the way. He lived a full life in retirement. He tended his tomatoes, mowed his lawn, was active in his church and sat on his front porch with his wonderful neighbors and friends. He loved to go out to dinner…”that doesn’t sound bad”… was a standard response. Most of all he enjoyed his family and friends; sisters and brother; nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. The more the merrier!!!

He is survived by his wife of 67 years-Beverly (aunt BeaBea, Mrs Bea, BeeWee); his children Cindy Vissing, Lisa Falone, Mick Vissing and Rick Vissing; his grandchildren Jeff and Laura Falone, of Birmingham, and their children Lane and Will; Chad and Crystal Falone and great granddaughter Clara Rose, who he adored; and Amy Falone and her fiancé Justin Kroeger.

He is also survived by his brother Robert Vissing (Doris), sisters Nita Weihe (Harry), Gloria/Pete Yengst (Joe), and Janet Hartman. Numerous nieces and nephews and COUNTLESS FRIENDS!

He is preceded in death by his parents, son Robert Vissing, his older sisters and their husbands Margaret and Tony Schneidtmiller, Mary Lee and Paul Schweitzer, Edna and Ken Just, Betty and Corky Krider, Carolyn and Albert Fautz, and his brother in law Herb Hartman. Also preceding him in death are his in-laws Mildred and Duke Wilson and their children.

Visitation will be at Resthaven Funeral Home from 3-8 on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. Funeral service will be at 10:00, Thursday September 1 at Immanuel UCC, at 2300 Taylorsville Rd. Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to Germantown Baseball Inc. PO Box 32473, Louisville KY 40232… earmarked for “Sonny Vissing Help a Child Play Ball”.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.archlheadyresthaven.com for the Vissing family.