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01/29/2012 - Bill Frahm
Funeral services for Bill Frahm of Oelrichs, South Dakota will beTuesday, January 31, 2012 at 10:00 AM at the Prairie View Methodist Church in Oelrichs with Pastor Paul Smith officiating.
Burial will be at the Hillside Cemetery in Oelrichs.
A visitation will be Monday, January 30, 2012 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron.
Mr. Frahm passed away on January 26, 2012 at Crestview Care Center in Chadron.
Bill Frahm was born June 15, 1920 at Oelrichs, South Dakota to William and Theodosia Frahm. He grew up at Oelrichs graduating in 1939 from Oelrichs High School. He started playing football in the 7th grade which he continued for several years and was always an avid football fan as well as other sports.
He started college in the fall of 1939 at Chadron State College but at the end of the semester he dropped out to have shoulder surgery. The fall of 1940 he entered college at Dakota Wesleyan at Mitchell, South Dakota for two years and continued playing football.
In June of 1942, he was drafted in the US Army during World War II. He spent 2 ½ years in England with the 350th fighter Squadron and the 353rd fighter group of the 8th Army Air Force where he was a mechanic and crewed P-38 and then P-51 fighter planes. He was discharged in October 1945.
On October 28, 1945, he married his childhood sweetheart, Adeline Harrison. She was employed in Washington DC. They stayed in Washington DC while Bill took advantage of the GI Bill and entered George Washington University graduating in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering.
Jobs were scare at the time and they wanted to get back out west. His Dad gave him the opportunity to go on the farm so they returned to Oelrichs and began farming and ranching.
In 1954, they were blessed with a son and a daughter, Orval, 3 years old and Shirley, 2 years old.
In 1977, they moved into Oelrichs and Orval took over the farm. Bill started up a business doing electrical and plumbing. He got into the submersible pump business, selling, installing, and working on pumps which became his main business. It was said that he was the best pump man in the country and had pumps throughout the county. Bill was happiest when he was of service to someone. He was never too busy to visit. It could be said, “He did what he like and liked what he was doing,” especially working with people.
Bill was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. He was a member of Farm Bureau and held several local and district offices. He was also a member of the VFW and active member of the American Legion.
Bill and Adeline enjoyed traveling during their retirement years and attended may Army reunions throughout the US with Bill’s Fighter Group. They made two trips to England with the group, returning to their base in Radon, England. In 1994, Bill was very involved in planning and executing a reunion for the Fighter group in Rapid City.
From May 2004 until present, Adeline and Bill retired and moved to Prairie Pines Lodge in Chadron, Nebraska, where they enjoyed residing. They would like to thank Prairie Pines for the excellent care given them. They would also like to thank everyone who helped Bill in many ways. A special thank you to the VA in Hot Springs for doing everything possible for his health care. Bill was a family man and they always came first.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Doris Mentken.
He leaves to mourn his wide, Adeline, a son Orval (Debra) Frahm of Oelrichs and a daughter, Shirley Gutierrez of Detroit, Michigan; three grandsons, Jason Frahm, Travis and Devon Gutierrez, one granddaughter, Valerie Frahm, Nathan (Russell); three great grandsons and three great granddaughters.
He will be missed.
A memorial has been established. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements.
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