Uncle Frank

Uncle Frank

He epitomized kindness. The depth of his compassion far exceeded the steely exterior he presented to the world.

He'd been a star athlete who'd received the adulation of the crowd. He'd been a soldier who expedited the enemy to his reward. He'd been a gambler, a risk taker. He'd been a man of faith.

In the day before prowess on the football field or in the gymnasium assured absurd financial remuneration, he had thrilled the crowds in both venues.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, his athleticism at his small-town Pennsylvania high school attracted scouts from big name schools across the country.

His legendary "over-the-shoulder shot from the opposite end of the floor" to score the tie-breaking basket at the end of a thrilling game made him a basketball legend for decades.

The universities that sought him were as disappointed as he was when Uncle Sam recruited him for military service. World War II separated him from the headlines that would have continued into his college days--if he'd had the chance to play.

The war and all its atrocities hardened him, but beneath the tough exterior was the tender heart of a loving man who was good to all the children in his life (although he had none of his own) and who cared for his aging parents until the end of their lives.

The army pastime of gambling had become deeply entrenched within him and he never missed an opportunity to take a risk that offered a possibility of hitting it big. And when he did, the whole family benefited. His generosity was as legendary as his athletic prowess had been

One of the great thrills of my young life was to hear the words, "Come on, Sandra Lee; let's go to the store."

Through the electronic wizardry of television, Uncle Frank became reacquainted with the GOD of his childhood. He saw men of faith proclaim the Word of the Holy One into living rooms across America and he was born again.

I will always regret that my own children never had the opportunity to know this good and honorable and loving man who would have brought such delight into their lives, but I am thankful to know that one day we shall all gather together at the Throne of Jesus, and there we shall know "joy unspeakable and full of glory" throughout eternity.