Frank Diaz

Frank Diaz, 95, of Indianapolis, died on April 7, 2021. He is survived by his brother Salvador (wife Marilyn), his son Bruce (wife Martha), and two granddaughters, Anjelais Diaz and Carys Diaz. Frank was preceded in death by Mary Ellen, his beloved wife of 64 years, and his younger son, Craig.

Frank was born in 1925 in San Francisco, California to Domingo and Juanita Díaz, both originally from Andalucía, Spain. Frank grew up in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco and attended Lick-Wilmerding High School, graduating in 1943. He joined the Army toward the end of the war, trained as a paratrooper, and served in the Pacific until 1946. After his discharge, Frank attended UC Berkeley, graduating in 1950 with a Chemistry degree. He married the love of his life, Mary Ellen Fishbach, in 1953 and they had two sons, Bruce and Craig.

Most of Frank’s career as a chemist was devoted to developing coatings for magnetic (recording) tape. In 1964 Frank took a job in Connecticut, which led the Diaz family to move to the rural town of Weston. There Frank built a house in the woods and learned to split logs for firewood. He was active in Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Weston, serving on the vestry and as treasurer. In the mid-1980s, Frank jumped at the chance to return to city life, accepting a job in Canada. He and Mary Ellen moved to downtown Toronto, where they delighted in the museums, concerts, and excellent restaurants.

Ten years later Frank retired, and he and Mary Ellen fled the harsh winters of Toronto for Florida, settling south of St. Augustine. They began taking cruises, visiting countries around the world and usually stopping in San Francisco to visit their son Craig, who was living there. Frank and Mary Ellen moved to Indianapolis in 2005 to be closer to son Bruce and his family. They attended services at Christ Church Cathedral and enjoyed hearing their granddaughter Carys sing with the Cathedral choir. Following Mary Ellen’s death, Frank moved into a retirement community, Marquette Manor, where he made many friends. Until COVID-19 disrupted all social life, Frank attended Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts, usually with his friend and caregiver Charlotte.

A memorial service for Frank will be held at Christ Church Cathedral later this spring (date to be determined, depending on COVID-19). Memorial contributions may be made to the Christ Church Cathedral Human Needs Ministry in memory of Frank Diaz.

Crown Hill Funeral Home is honored to have served the Diaz family.