Obituary of Rick Frank

To Watch Live Stream of Service click this link: https://video.ibm.com/embed/recorded/128169690

Richard (Rick) Lloyd Max Frank

February 8, 1962 – September 30, 2020

Richard (Rick) Lloyd Max Frank passed away peacefully at his home in Saskatoon with his three children; Christopher, Brooklyn, Alexandra and his wife of 35 years, Lori (nee Loseth) by his side. Rick is also lovingly remembered by his mother, Hazel and sister, Kristine.  He was predeceased by his father, Lloyd; brother, Robert; father-in-law, Victor Loseth; and mother-in-law, Kathleen Loseth.
 
Rick was born on February 8, 1962, the first of three children, to Lloyd and Hazel Frank in Saskatoon.  Ritchie spent his early years growing up in North Park area of Saskatoon where his blonde hair would often get shaved into a brush cut for the hot summers of riding around on his bicycle with the numerous kids in the area.  His mom and dad took him fishing or picking berries down to the river on many a weekend.  Rick was a true west side boy from the very beginning!
 
In 1965, he was joined by his little brother Robbie and they, along with Lloyd and Hazel, would go on various road trips to Loon Lake and Alberta to visit family and friends.  There are plenty of stories Rick would share with his kids about ‘back in the day’ when you didn’t wear seatbelts and you slept laying across the back seat to make the trip go faster!  He enjoyed playing with his many cousins and kept in touch with his aunts and uncles over the years.
 
Ritchie was an exceptionally smart kid who loved astronomy, math and all the sciences – yes all of them!  He excelled at school right through to graduation from Mount Royal Collegiate in 1980.  Rick was a quiet smart and was very humble when he received various academic awards.  He also really enjoyed sports and played competitive hockey and volleyball into his adult years.  
 
Rick got a bit sidetracked in high school, when at the age of 16, he met Lori.  They went to the Jaws movie in a group and ended up boyfriend and girlfriend from that day forward.  He always joked that “Lori liked my car” – it was a ‘67 Beaumont but everyone knew they were destined to be together.  He always treated Lori like gold and they were a good match with different skills, abilities and personalities.  
 
Rick worked numerous part-time jobs while attending Kelsey Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences where he received his mechanical engineering technology diploma.  He was a pin chaser at a bowling alley who could bowl a perfect game, a gas jockey, tire repairman and after graduating began work at Crestline Coach designing ambulances where he stayed for a number of years. Rick also became a big brother again to his sister, Kristine, who is 20 years younger than him.   
 
During that time, Rick and Lori were married after being together for 7 years on August 10, 1985.  They became the Frank Five by surprise when after welcoming Christopher in 1991, along came twin girls, Brooklyn and Alexandra in 1995.  Rick’s chest was so puffy, he could barely get through doors.  He adored his family and all of their accomplishments.  He was a hockey, soccer and volleyball dad.  He took his turn being preschool parent and drove the kids and their buddies everywhere to various sports tournaments.  He counselled and supported them right into adulthood through calls to dad – “mom, can you pass the phone to dad, I need help with biology, physics, math or stats or I need help with how to bleed the brakes or fix a squeaky shock”.  Rick was not naturally a Mr. Fix it but over time, drawing on his other talents including logic, he learned to renovate a cabin, successfully deal with any technical computer issue and bake many a memorable dessert for school functions.  He was the cook in the Frank household and a darn good one.  He loved making chili and meatballs for the various potlucks at the lake and big family meals at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
In 2000, Rick and his family, began going to their cabin at Echo Bay.  The lake was always a joy for Rick.  He loved the late nights, fish stories, fish frys, wing fests, bon fires, midnight curling, family time and all the laughs.  Although he wasn’t much of a dancer, he was the ‘music guy’ playing great tunes into the night for everyone to dance to and enjoy.  He also loved to organize the annual Echo Bay beach volleyball tournament and participate in the Echo Bay Classic golf tourney and any other shenanigans that was going on.  The New Year’s parties at the lake are legendary and his kids have many fond memories of dad with the ‘shot ski’ and hiking it across the lake to the bonfire for midnight.  
 
Rick truly enjoyed any kind of social event from a house party to a ski trip to a volleyball or hockey tournament to a small gathering around a kitchen table.  Secretly, quiet and smiling Rick was an extrovert in introvert’s clothing. 
 
Rick began working with the Ministry of Highways in 2007.  He loved the various roles he had and he talked fondly about his colleagues and teams he worked with across the province.  Rick was on a leave from his position as Director – OH&S with the Ministry of Highways at his passing.  He truly missed working and applying his safety perspective and learnings.  He would often go early into work just to have a coffee and catch up with people before the day started.
 
When Rick was diagnosed in July 2019, his workplace was very supportive and he had numerous friends and colleagues sending him well wishes.  He was also supported by his family and many close friends who gave him strength by sharing their positivity with him.  He would often say how much he appreciated the health care providers he crossed paths with at the Saskatoon Cancer Centre, Saskatchewan Health Authority and Palliative Care at St. Paul’s Hospital and Home Care.  There are angels who walk among us who do special work and provide unique support for those with a terminal illness.  When Rick would meet someone for a test, treatment or care, he would always ask first “how are you”?  He was always thinking about others despite all that he was shouldering and no matter how he was feeling.
 
Rick’s legacy is his family who he loved so deeply.  He loved the times together such as rides in the ’66 mustang with Christopher and the shop talk about it.  He loved the many dad jokes he would share with the girls to hear them groan and then giggle.  He was so excited when he heard that google assistant could tell a dad joke any time you asked her to.  He loved family game night and cut up chocolate bars to snack on.  He was incredibly, button-popping, proud of his kids and their accomplishments and he was comforted in his cancer journey envisioning all that they will accomplish in the future.  He will be missed as a father, husband and confidante, but his wisdom and character lives on in many ways through his family.
 
We would like to thank all who cared for Rick over the past 15 months and for all the ‘door step angels’ who left all kinds of well wishes and goodies for Rick and the family.
 
The family graciously requests any donations to be made in Rick’s memory to the charity of your choice.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, a private family service will be held but we invite you to join the live stream on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at 2 p.m. for a celebration of Rick’s life.   To leave condolences and to watch the live stream, please visit Rick’s full obituary at www.saskatoonfuneralhome.com.