Franklin Grant (Bud) Fricke

Franklin Grant Fricke was born on November 12, 1930, to Karl Brownie and Ruth Florence Coolidge Fricke in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the fourth of five children. He passed peacefully from this world surrounded by his family on Friday, June 23, 2023, at the age of 92. Franklin was a friend to many and a stranger to few. He could fix almost anything and collected everything and was always there to help his family and friends, ready with a joke or a smile.

As a young man, he wanted adventure. With his father and two brothers having served in the Navy, he lied about his age to join the Naval Reserve before he was of age, followed by a stint in the Merchant Marines. He followed family tradition and enlisted in the Navy at age 20. Stationed in the Pacific, he crossed both the equator and the international date line to become a golden shellback. While in the service, he took part in the evacuation of marines from the Chosin Reservoir and recovering debris from atomic testing in the Enewetok Atoll. When changing ships in Japan, he and his fellow sailors were told they had to march to another port to meet their new ship, Bud said if he wanted to march he would have joined the dang Army. Honorable discharged after 4 years, he received the Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and United Nations Service Medal. One of his proudest moments was when his granddaughter, Emily Fricke, kept the family tradition alive and joined the Navy that he loved. She also became the first officer Bud could get along with.  His grandson Marshal also who served in the United States Coastguard.

After leaving the service, he went to work as an elevator mechanic, a job he would hold for almost 40 years. Soon it became another family tradition, as he was joined by several of his brothers-in-law, his sons, nephews, and grandsons. After finding a job and buying a car, he met and married Shirley Ball of Oregon, Missouri. Together they lived in Iowa, California, Central Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, having 5 children along the way. They settled in North Texas in the early 1970's. He and his wife became foster parents, fostering many children and infants and adopting 3 as their own. After moving to Colleyville, he could often be found working in his yard or garage, whistling one of his favorite tunes, Waltzing Matilda or Silver Threads and Golden Needles. He loved working on his old cars and other items he rescued. Visitors were often greeted with "have you ever seen a..." He loved the old and unusual. He coached his kids' ball teams; and never met an umpire he liked or got it right, and always kept the rule book in his back pocket just to be sure.

After his divorce and retirement, Bud decided to move to a quieter community and moved to a home on Lake Whitney. He enjoyed the community there and joined the West Shore Volunteer Fire Department. He loved driving the fire truck and was once recognized as First Responder of the Year. Later, he decided to expand his role, and became certified as an EMT. He was 70.

While living on the lake, he married his second wife Joanne and they remained together until her death. Though he slowed down in his last years, he still loved collecting and buying interesting items, and people still heard "have you ever seen a...." His last years were spent in the company of his dog Roxy and nameless yellow cat that liked his company. Whether you knew him as Dad, Daddio, Grandpa, Uncle Bud, Coach, Mr. Fricke or just Bud, one thing is certain, he will be missed by many.

A graveside service will be held at the Peoria Cemetery, 2421 FM 1947, Hillsboro, Texas, on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 11 a.m., followed by a reception at Bud's home. Due to the heat and Bud's general attitude about things, the family suggests comfortable dress. In lieu of flowers, the family has requests that donations be made to any organization that supports either our nation's veterans or our national parks. such as DFW Canines for Veterans, Wounded Warrior Family Support, or the Arbor Day Foundation.