Francis Alexander Bottini

May 23, 1941 – December 20, 2024

Francis (Frank) Alexander Bottini, 83, of La Jolla, California, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on December 20, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Frank grew up on “The Hill,” the Italian neighborhood in St. Louis. He was the second of five children born to Frank F. Bottini and Coletta Harvey Bottini.

Frank is survived by his loving wife Judy of 58 years and his children Francis A. Bottini, Jr. (Nina), Edward H. Bottini (Kyra), and Anne Bottini Beste (Eric). He is also survived by grandchildren Sophia and Luca Bottini, Kate and Jack Bottini, and Grace, Caroline and Shane Beste. He is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

He is predeceased by all his siblings, including older sister Margaret (Wessling) and younger siblings Thomas H. Bottini, Gregory Bottini, and Mary Menner. After attending Holy Innocents on The Hill and then Bishop DuBourg High School, Frank graduated from St. Louis University in 1963, where he was President of the Student Conclave. Frank loved SLU and his time there. Once, when Fr. Reinert was asked by his good friend Bob Hope to arrange a chaperone for his daughter, who was also a student at SLU, Fr. Reinert chose Frank. Frank also was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society, and the Air Force ROTC. At SLU Frank met the love of his life, Judith (Judy) Warring, a beautiful and intelligent Physical Therapy student from Belleville. They were married 58 years and would have celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary next June.

As a member of the Air Force ROTC, Frank was activated during the Vietnam War and sent to California to train to fly jets but received an honorable discharge after blacking out during a flight training mission due to his lifelong allergies.

Frank was inspired by President John F. Kennedy to serve his country and enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center after being awarded a full Robert Bellarmine scholarship. During Frank’s first year at Georgetown, JFK was assassinated in Dallas. Frank attended the funeral procession in Washington and mourned with the nation. He reconsidered a career in law or politics and returned to St. Louis to focus on business, working for IBM. After marrying Judy and having children Anne and Frank Jr., Frank enrolled in the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and moved the family to Philadelphia to pursue his M.B.A. While at Wharton, his son Edward was born. Frank’s classmates marveled at his dedication to pursuing an MBA at Wharton with a wife and three young kids. At Wharton, he began a lifelong love of photography, buying a Nikkormat 35 mm camera and one of the first home movie cameras, a Nikon Super 8. He developed his own film with friend and fellow student Ramon Palacios.

After finishing his studies at Wharton, Frank returned to St. Louis and began his business career. Over the years, he worked at several companies as a marketing manager and economist, including Maritz, Inc. and Bank Building Corporation (BBC). Frank also founded his own company, Extra Security, Inc., that marketed and sold some of the first smoke detectors and home security systems in the U.S. At BBC, Frank worked on numerous design/build projects for banks and savings and loan associations in Arizona and California. After retiring, Frank’s love of California and its weather led him and Judy to relocate to San Diego in 2009 to join their three children.

Frank’s personable and outgoing nature complimented his ability to genuinely listen to each person he spoke with. Frank supported and uplifted those around him, and was a true friend and immensely loved father and husband. When a friend or loved one needed help, Frank willingly put aside his numerous and varied projects to stop and listen – truly listen. And when he was listening, you knew and felt that Frank deeply cared for you and would do anything he could to help you. He said he received the gift of empathy from his Irish mother Coletta who was always helping others. One time when Coletta was telling Frank and his siblings that they always needed to help the poor and less fortunate, the siblings replied, “But Mom, we’re poor too!” Out of Frank’s humble beginnings grew a man rich in love and generosity and who will be greatly missed and celebrated.

Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on January 3, 2025 at Pacific Beach Mortuary and Mission Bay Chapel, 4710 Cass Street, San Diego, CA 92109. Services will be held on January 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 7669 Girard Ave., La Jolla, CA 92037, followed by interment at Holy Cross Cemetery.