Frank Richard Gash

For “Tin Can Sailor” Frank Richard Gash, a fitting farewell occurred on Sunday, September 11, 2011. A day to remember such a man as well as other heroes who have dedicated their lives to this country. He was one of eight children born to Alley Frank Gash and Hester Sapphria Brannon on October 27, 1921 in Horse Shoe, North Carolina. He was a prankster from day one and lived to get his brothers in trouble. All of his siblings have preceded him in death.

Frank graduated from Etowah High where he earned the nickname “playboy” for his piercing blue eyes and wavy blonde hair. He loved to tell the story of making the winning basket in the District Championship in basketball his senior year. In 1939, he joined the United States Navy and made it his career for twenty years. He was proud to retire as Chief Petty Officer Machinest Mate. He loved to tell stories about his travels around the world, his initiating Sailors when crossing the Equator for the first time, pulling into Pearl Harbor a few days after the attack, and how when he joined the Navy was on the last of the coal burners and shoveled coal in the engine room as his first job. While traveling through Washington, D.C. in 1945, he met the love of his life at National Airport. After one date, he purchased an engagement ring and presented it to Caroline Smith who worked in the weather bureau at National. Upon returning from six months at sea, they were married. The last destroyer that he served on was the USS Ingraham until his retirement when they moved back to Horse Shoe where Frank worked at Olin Chemical for twenty years. After moving to Palm Coast, Florida and enjoying the life on the waterway for several years, they moved to Austin in 1994 to live near their daughter and her husband.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Caroline, their two children, and seven grandchildren. Their son, Richard Gash and wife Annette reside in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. They have three children: grandsons James, Crystal Beach, Florida and Peter, Boca Raton, Florida. Grandaugher, Stephanie resides in Lowell, Massachusetts. His daughter, Nancy Gash Castelline and husband Joseph reside in Austin, Texas along with three of their children: grandaughters Katharine and Angela, and grandson Cody. His grandson, Daniel lives in Bryan, Texas along with his wife, Victoria. As a Grandpa he loved his grandchildren dearly and enjoyed tremendously hearing stories about all of their accomplishments. He loved to spoil them and make them laugh. Invite G-pa to a game of checkers and you would have a hard time leaving. He was a simple man who was not afraid of hard work.

He was blessed to have had good health for most of his life.

The family wishes to thank Mark Faulkner, PA of Well-Med for always being there for the old Sailor; Adriana and Richie of Senior Care of Onion Creek for taking good care of Dad while he was there; the nurses at South Austin Hospital for their professionalism; the Hospice nurses at Christopher House for making Dad comfortable during his last days; and a special thank you to Carol for helping us get through this tough time.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest donations be made to the Frank R. Gash Memorial, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Attn: Tributes Group, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142 Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (800) 873-6983 www.stjude.org/tribute.

“If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you are old”. ~ Will Rogers