Frank Oaks Van Horn

Frank was born on April 16, 1926 in Grand Junction, CO the son of Oertel and Alta Van Horn. Although Frank dropped out of high school at age 16 to support his mother, he later graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Colorado Western College and a Master’s Degree from Oregon State University. After college, Frank taught sixth grade for two years before becoming an employment counselor in Portland for the state of Oregon. Later, Frank was the Office Manager for St. Helens Employment division. Frank retired in 1988 from the Oregon Employment Division.

Frank, who had a powerful tenor voice, spent his free time singing, playing his keyboard, recording his music, and entertaining his family and friends.

In 1998, Frank married Evelyn “Annie” Carroll in St Helens, OR. During Frank and Annie’s marriage they traveled to all 50 states and to the British Isles. They moved to Fulton, MO in 2020 to live with Annie’s son, Robert Carroll and his wife Mary. For two years Frank serenaded Annie at the breakfast table with love songs from the 1940’s and 50’s. The last few months of his life was under the loving care of the staff at Kingdom Care Skilled Nursing Home where Frank entertained everyone with his songs and jokes. The daily visits of Annie always came with a love song from Frank.

Frank is survived by his wife Evelyn “Annie” Van Horn of the home; daughter Jeanne; five grandchildren, Angela Neumann of West Linn, OR, Gregory Davidson of St. Helens, OR, Thad Davidson of Seattle, WA, Spike McCoy of Christmas Valley, OR; five great-grandchildren and Annie’s three children, Barbara, Robert Carroll and Marcia Baltzell. Frank was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Dixie (MacGregor) Van Horn; his daughter, Evelyn Marie Van Horn; his son, Oertel Frank Van Horn; granddaughter, Miriah Early and one sister, Dorothy Lusk.

Burial will be held in Bethany Memorial Cemetery in Warren, OR. Memorial service will be held at a later date.