Frank Clay of Crystal Lake, IL, passed away one day after his 94th birthday in June. Born in Chicago to Ira and Cyrissa (Scheufler) Clay, he was a mischievous boy who didn’t do that well in school and was known for pranks like sawing off the dining room table leg with his brother Bob, who sadly died when they were both young boys. In 1956 he married Janet Bernacchi, who helped him settle down and who became the love of his life and his whole world (she has the Perfect Wife gold charm to prove it). For almost 68 years they shared many travel, fishing and bowling adventures, always holding hands, kissing goodnight and constantly expressing their love for each other. He was happiest when she was by his side, even if it was just doing the daily crossword or playing computer games.
He took great pride in the accomplishments of his children, Bob Clay (Linda Miles), Cindy Crouse (Ron) and Rich Clay (Lynn Adams), five grandchildren, one great-grandchild and numerous granddogs. Leading by example, bowling was Frank’s passion. Inducted into the Illinois, McHenry County and Chicagoland Halls of Fame, he bowled a perfect 300 game in 1980 and was only the 17th person to knock down a career total of 100,000 pins at the USBC tournament. Even with his heart condition and a collection of 8 stents, mere weeks before he died, he bowled in his 69th consecutive tournament where he was treated like the rockstar he was and received numerous standing ovations and accolades.
Despite his modest education, for 50 years Frank was a successful die maker and business owner of Reliable Steel Rule Die Co. He served on the board and was Treasurer of the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking for over two decades, where he was honored as Diemaker of the Year in 1998.
Everyone loved Frank, a loyal, kind and considerate friend. No one ever said an unkind word about him. He loved to drive, and he and Janet would visit friends far and wide, often showing up unexpectedly at their workplaces or on their doorsteps. Frank grew up in the depression era and loved his sweets AND a bargain. His sharp mind and keen eye would point out 24 cent discrepancies in financial documents, and while he was a high-stakes whiz at the craps and blackjack tables, he would wait for a sale before buying his favorite ice cream. He would eat anything (there’s a story about guava duff), and had a quirky sense of humor, even joking with the doctors and nurses on his last day in the hospital. He will be missed more than words can say.
Frank was unassuming and wanted no fanfare when he passed. He didn’t want people to feel obligated to travel on his behalf and didn’t want Janet to endure hours of mourning. We’ve tried to respect that by planning a simple visitation on Friday, July 12, from 4:00 to 6:30pm at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake, IL. Due to a family allergy, please do not send flowers. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bowl for the Cure, the American Diabetes Association or your favorite charity.
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