Frank Thatcher

Frank Thatcher 84, passed away Thursday September 27, 2007 surrounded by his family at his sons home in Helena. He was born in Middle Point, Ohio to Benjamin Franklin & Myrna (Keller) Thatcher on March 6, 1923. Frank graduated from Gibsonburg High School in 1942.

After graduating he joined the Marine Corp during WWII serving his country in the South Pacific including Hawaii, The Marshal Islands, Wake, Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Frank was on the USS Missouri 5 different trips into Pearl Harbor. He married Winifred M. Jeremy on June 23, 1949 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Hessville and she preceded Frank in death on May 1, 2007.

Frank was the owner of Portage Cleaners, Woodville during the 50s and 60s, he worked as a carpenter for James Foos Gibsonburg, and he also worked at Gibsonburg Schools as a janitor and School Bus Supervisor Retiring in 1988.

He always enjoyed Lyman Boats, fishing, traveling and visiting the bakery. He also loved that he had gotten the chance to deliver new school buses to Alaska 3 times during the 70s. Frank enjoyed traveling in addition to the places during the war he traveled through out Europe, and made a trip to Australia with his son. In recent years he enjoyed restoring an old house and barn at his sons and daughter-in-laws farm outside Helena and making daily trips to feed barn cats.

Surviving him are his children son Jay (Georgia) Thatcher, Helena; daughters Amy and Charlene Thatcher both of Gibsonburg. He was preceded in death by his wife and his parents.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 30, 2007 at the Herman-Kinn-Veh Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gibsonburg from 1-4 & 6-8 PM. Funeral services will be held on Monday at the funeral home at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at W. Union Cemetery, Gibsonburg with Military Honors provided by the Gibsonburg American Legion. Memorial contributions may be made to Emmanuel Free Will Baptist Church, Luckey or to Hospice of Memorial Hospital.