Saturday, June 11, 2016
We had a wonderful childhood. My mother, Aunt Nettie and father, Uncle Frank, were very close to Aunt Daisy and Uncle Frank. I can't remember a holiday that we didn't share. Baby Frank, as he was affectionately known, had a train set that encircled the tree. He would operate the coal tender and would load the logs. My sister and I were fascinated and sometimes Frankie would even let us handle the controls. I remember one Memorial Day, after we came home from the cemetary, we came to my house for a cook out. We were hitting golf balls and I told Frankie to swing. Well he did and hit me in the head causing a laceration requiring stiches. Frankie was so upset, he was running around trying to get someone to hit him in the head so I wouldn't suffer alone. Aunt Daisy would always start his sandwiches by taking the first bite. I don't think he ate a whole sandwich the entire time he was growing up. We would go on trips together; walking tour of Philly, Gettysburg where Francine got sick and Frankie wanted to take a cannon ball home, and Washington, DC. Frankie and I would go to the movies together, the Towers, and he would have to bring his birth certificate because they wanted to charge him adult prices. I remember going to watch him play football for CHS. We were so proud of him. It was raining, one game and Aunt Daisy tried to hold an umbrella over Frankie's head as he sat on the bench. The coach wasn't too thrilled but good natured Frankie let his mother protect him. And of course the fishing trips on the Clique. What fun, what great memories. We were so fortunate to have Frankie in our lives as we were growing up. Moving down south put miles between us but the memories and stories lasted. He will be missed.
