Gerald Duane Frandle

Jerry Frandle, our loving father and proud WWII veteran, passed away Saturday, surrounded by his family and his best friend of more than 70 years, Bob Rummel. Born in Williston, North dakota to Elizabeth and Alfred frandle, Jerry moved to Yakima with his family at the age of ten. Following graduation from Yakima High School in 1943, he enlisted in the Merchant Marines.

His troop ship was sunk off the coast of New Guinea, and he two others were rescued after being adrift for 3 days in the South Pacific. Returning to the United States he enlisted in the Army. He was immediately placed in the Army 532nd Engineers Amphibian Brigade driving Landing Craft. The 532nd was the first unit to enter combat in the South Pacific. Over the next 30 months his Brigade landed troops on over 30 islands as they moved through the Pacific Theatre. Their motto was "Get'em across." Jerry spent and additional 6 months in Japan after the war ended-playing on an All-star Baseball team touring occupation bases playing the local troops.

After serving his country, Jerry attended Yakima Valley Junior College from 1946 to 1948 where he excelled at football and baseball. At YVJC, he met and married Helen Knowles in June of 1948. After graduation, he accepted a scholarship to attend Denver School of Trades where he specialized in gun mithing and mechanical engineering. Jerry and his young family returned to Yakima and he began a career at Jed's Sporting Goods. In 1965, he accepted a mechanical design position at Yakima Pine Products and worked there until his retirement in 1989. Jerry and Helen raised four children together, and although divorced in 1979, both have stayed lovingly engaged in their family as it has grown and changed over the years. Jerry was renowned sportsman who hunted and fished his entire life, and was especially thrilled to be able to go salmon fishing with his grandson, Adam, and elk hunting "for the big one" just a few months ago. He actively supported many enviornmental and nature programs, and spent as much time as possible riding his horses to places few people ever get to enjoy.

Jerry is survived by his sister, Carrol Soknich; a foster sister, Judy Maupin;and his four loving children and their families, Sherry and Doug Strelka of Atlanta, Georgia; Kyle and Kathy Frandle of Santa Cruz, California; Laurie and Ashley Miller of Yakima, and Wendy Frandle of Seattle. He has seven grandchildren (Jared, Kate, Adrian, Adam, Brandt, Pierce and Addison) and three great grandchildren. His children would especially like to thank ken Eakin, Sam hull, Melanie Gilmore, and entire Rummel family for the Joy, love and support they brought to his life. His family and friends will remember and miss him always.

One of his favorite verses is by Robert Louis Stevenson:

Under the wide and starry sky

Dig my grave and let me lie

Glad did live and gladly I die and I

lay me down with a will.

This be the verse you

carve for me

Here he lies where he

longed to be

Home is the sailor

Home from the sea

And Hunter home From

the hill.

Jerry will be honored by his family privately and a memorial will be held in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans Fund, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati,OH 45250-0301