Armin Henry Frank

Armin Henry Frank, Major, USMC (Ret.) Armin Frank, aged 88 years, died on Monday, 15 November 2021, after a brief struggle with the COVID19 virus. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Geneva Ann (Fugate) Frank; children Erich (East Aurora, NY); Hagen (Grand Rapids, MI); Rainer (Gig Harbor, WA); Cathrine (Portland, ME), along with nine grandchildren. Armin is also survived by his brother, Walter Frank, of Blanchester, OH. Born in Cincinnati, OH on 29 Sept. 1933 to Henry (Heinrich) Frank and Mary (Maria) Frank, nee Heiss, both of whom were naturalized U.S. citizens from Bavaria, Major Frank spent his early childhood in Cincinnati before the family moved to Blanchester during World War II. Armin met his future wife, Geneva, the daughter of Dr. Leo Fugate (DVM) and Olive Fugate of Wilmington, OH, shortly after he graduated from Blanchester High School. He was 17 years old, Geneva was 16 years old, and - except for Armin's overseas deployments during his Marine Corps service - they would spend the rest of their lives together. Major Frank attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, under the then-newly created Naval ROTC Scholarship program, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation in 1956. Geneva, who had begun her education at The Ohio State University when Armin started at Brown, but who later transferred to Rutgers University in New Jersey so that she and Armin could be closer to each other, also received her degree that year, and the two married in Wilmington, OH, that September. After training in Quantico, VA, then 2nd Lt Frank received his first choice of "military occupational specialty" (MOS): 0302, Infantry Officer. During the following 13 years, Armin and Eva lived in Hawaii (at the time, a U.S. Territory), California, North Carolina, and (during Armin's unaccompanied overseas assignments), with Dr. and Mrs. Fugate in Wilmington. Armin's active Marine Corps service ended in 1969, when he was transferred to the "Temporary Disability Retired List" at the rank of Major based on severe service-related injuries he suffered while serving in, and training with, special-operations units. The family moved to Bavaria for several years, where they lived surrounded by their extended Frank and Heiss families. Returning to the United States in late 1971, Armin entered law school at the University of Cincinnati under the G.I. Bill. In 1973, Armin was transferred to the Retired List of the USMC after it was determined that his injuries were both permanent, and too severe, to permit his return to active service. After obtaining his law degree, Armin practiced law in Cincinnati, Wilmington, and throughout Southern Ohio, with Eva beside him helping to manage the expanding and successful practice. The couple retired in 2005. Armin was a published author ("The Flesh of Kings" Doubleday, 1957), an avid scuba-diver, and an accomplished competitive shooter in long-range black-powder cartridge. Although he experienced great success in the practice of law, his three great loves in life never changed: Eva, his family, and The Corps. A Memorial Service will be held on Sat. 19 Feb starting at 2:30 PM at Megie Funeral Home/Craver Chapel in Milford, OH, where family and friends will be received from 1:00 PM until the hour of service. Afterwards everyone is invited to join the family at the Little Miami Brewing Company, 208 Mill Street, Milford. It is located less than a mile from the funeral home, on the left just before the bridge across the Little Miami River. Anyone wishing to receive direct notification of the event is asked to contact Armin's second son, Hagen Frank (Major, USMC, retired), at hagenandlaura@comcast.net.