Frank J. Schmalz

Visitation: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City

Vigil Service: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City

Mass of Christian Burial: Thursday, February 15, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City

Interment: will follow in the Eastern Montana State Veterans

Cemetery in Miles City with full military honors provided by VFW Post #1579 Frank J.Schmalz passed away on February 6, 2007 at the Friendship Villa Care Center in Miles City, Montana.

Frank was born on June 10, 1920, the fourth child of nine born to Joseph Sr. and Juliana (Neiss)Schmalz, of which he has one surviving sister, Bridget in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was born and raised in Karlsruhe, North Dakota. After graduating from high school, he was offered a chance at Cincinnati Reds training camp as a catcher, but instead he joined the Civil Conservation Corp. (CCCs) and was assigned to camps at Mohall, North Dakota, Ekalaka and Boyes, Montana as a Senior Leader. While at the camps he enjoyed baseball games, but it was while at the Boyes Camp he met the love of his life, Nina Joslyn. After a little over two years in the CCCs he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to work as a machinist for the Falk Corp. It was there he married Nina on September 13, 1941 and his daughter, ArLynn was born. He remained as foreman there until he felt it was his duty to join the U.S. Navy.

After training in Hershey, Pennsylvania and Farragut, Idaho, he shipped out of San Francisco to Oahu, Hawaii in 1945 in anticipation of the naval support on the attack of Japan. He spent a number of months in Oahu, Hawaii, even accidentally meeting up with his brother, Paul, a Marine and together they were able to celebrate Christmas together. In 1946, he returned to the U.S. and was released from the Navy to return to the Broadus area to assist his father-in-law in ranching and also work at John Traubs Standard Station in Broadus. It was during this time he was taken ill and nearly died of Undulant Fever, the newly discovered use of whole blood transfusion as treatment saved his life and he was able to make a slow recovery. He continued his dream of ranching by purchasing cows, but he and Nina eventually realized that was not to be. In the early 1950s he purchased a dry cleaning business in Broadus, but his eyes could not stand the chemicals.

After the sale of the dry cleaning business, he was employed by the Town of Broadus as a maintenance worker and then went to work for the Federal Soil Conservation Service where he met and enjoyed many friends. As an engineer tech he first worked in Powder River County, in 1971 he moved to the SCS Sidney office, in 1980 he worked in Safford, Arizona on a Gila River Project and then retired out of the SCS area office in Miles City in 1983. He was the happiest when he spent time with his grandchildren. He and Nina, along with his much loved poodle, Peaches, also traveled the western US for a number of years seeing sights and visiting friends. He had many hobbies, building miniature windmills, magnetic signs for vehicles, miniature branding iron plaques and miniature scenes of ghost town buildings. In 1991, he and Nina celebrated 50 years of marriage with a trip to Scotland to visit their grandson Mark. In failing health he moved to the Eagles Manor in 2000 and then to Friendship Villa in 2005.

Frank loved a good joke or prank, board games, card games, even making cookies and German recipes. But his biggest joy in life was his daughter, ArLynn and husband Walter, his grandchildren, Mark (Lourdes) Borla, Melanie (Mark) Butorac, Collin (Elizabeth)Borla, and Quinn (Amy) Borla and his six great-grandchildren, Stephanie Borla,Jase Butorac, Brooke, Mont, Julia, Natalie Borla and a baby boy on the way in April.

As his surviving family we wish to give special thanks to Dr. Tailleur and his nurse, and all the staff at the Friendship Villa for the support and kindness that they so kindly gave, words do not come to express our appreciation.

A Vigil service will be held on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Miles City with full military honors provided by VFW Post #1579. Condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.