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Rich, Frank L.
Frank L. Rich U.S. Army WWII
Frank L. Rich U.S. Army WWII
 
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Date of Birth: 1/27/1915
Died On: 12/28/2006 Last Residence: 34135, Bonita Springs, Lee, Florida
Street Address: 421 Milton Rd
Service Number: unknown
Branch of Service: U.S. Army-WWII


Veteran Code: USARMY-541


BIOGRAPHY
 
Frank L. Rich

Frank L. Rich was born in New York in 1915. Frank L. Rich was born on January 28, 1915, in New York, his father, John, was 24 and his mother, Brandoria, was 19. He had two brothers Dante and John and three sisters Cocetta, Jennie and Lucy. In Rye his family lived at 421 Milton Rd. and were members of the Church of the Resurrection.

Frank was a Rye High School gaduate and had a degree in horticulture from the NY State University Agricultural and Technical Institute.His family owned Rich's Florist which was located on Milton Road and all members of the family were active in runninng the business. Frank enlisted in 1942 and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.


Frank served five years with the US Army three years of which were spent in the Pacific theater and received the Purple Heart.

In a letter home to his parents he wrote:

"One morning rather early about 4 a. m. Tojo came in low and caught us all in bed. He came in so fast and dropped his bombs fast, the only hlng I heard when I woke up out of a sound sleep, was the swish that bombs make and by that time, as I started for my fox hole, they exploded. They were very close, but as I said before we sure were lucky. "I feel fine and in the pink of condition. Don't worry, everything is OK and I'll be seeing you some day."


After the war Frank was actively involved in politics in Rye and married Adeline ‘Chubby Valentine in 1947

Frank served as a councilman for eight years working various council committee's.

At one point he had been Rye's acting mayor and served for two years on the planning commission He was a member of Rye Triple A, the local unit of Knights of Columbus and ’the Rye Commission on Human 'Rights. He served as president of the Rye Kiwanis Club and of the Rye Chamber of Commerce of which he was a director.

He was assistant district leader for the Republican City Committee and chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Rye Golf Club. Frank was a member of the NY- State Flower Growers Association ard served as a Judge in the annual International Flower Show in New York City.

Moving from Rye to FL., Frank served on various Collier County boards. He also worked for John R Wood as a realtor for many years. Frank was an avid golfer playing nearly all the courses in Collier County. He and his wife spent their last years living in Bentley Village, Chubby preceded him in death in 2005

Frank L Rich 91 passed away Thursday December 28 2006 in the Bentley Village Care Center in Bonita Springs, Florida.

He was survived by a sister two brothers and nieces and nephews He will be greatly missed by his dear friends Clark Robin Stewart and girls, Dick and Naomi Morris and Leo and Shirley Smith-Jones

A memorial Mass was held at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Tuesday January 9th, 2006.
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