On January 28 th , 2021, Francis Marion Ehrmantraut, a loving husband and father, loyal friend, and patriotic veteran, passed away at the age of 78 at home, in Lewiston, ID. His friends called him Frank.
Frank was born in Detroit, MI in 1942. He grew up in Grand Rapids, MI, where he was the altar boy of the year in 1954 for the diocese of Grand Rapids and attended Catholic Central High School, where he played football. After high school, Frank joined the US Army, where he became the undefeated heavyweight boxing champion of Europe. Later Frank volunteered for transfer to Vietnam, where he served in combat and was disabled.
Frank used the GI Bill to complete an electrical engineering degree from RETS electronics institute in Grand Rapids, MI. His first position after graduating was with Telephone Power Inc in Grand Rapids, installing phone and PBX systems. Frank undertook several different businesses over his lifetime. He called himself an entrepreneur and enjoyed developing new business ideas. He owned an electronics sales and service business in the 1970s. He also accumulated rental properties and at one point owned over 100 rental properties. Later he owned ACS, a business that provided telephone systems and computer network wiring. He also built kit cars for a few years. He and his wife moved to Lewiston, ID in 2006 and retired here.
Frank was a friendly and outgoing person who enjoyed meeting people and putting them at ease with jokes and stories. One of his friends said that when you were Frank's friend, you would never find a better friend than him. In his later years Frank found a home among his Christian friends in Protestant churches and his Christian men's group. After he retired, he enjoyed volunteering and taught a computer class at the Lewiston Senior Center and at a local church. He also served as a president of Thrivent for a few years. More recently, he managed a website dedicated to sharing veteran and senior discounts in the area.
Frank was predeceased by his father, Francis Marion Ehrmantraut, his mother Virginia Robinson Ehrmantraut, his sister Lorraine Heydenburg (Keith), and his brother, Andre (Andy). He will be sadly missed by his wife, Ann, children Vince (Little Frank), Marsha Compton, and Nikki Mackey, sister Francine Crespo, half-sister, Mary Kahkola, step-daughter Leah Drennan, 15 grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at Malcom's Brower-Wann Funeral Home, 1711 18 th St, Lewiston, ID, on 3/5/21 at 2:30PM, with Pastor Nathan Gipp presiding. The service will be available for review on Malcolm's funeral home facebook page ( www.malcomsfuneralhome.com ). You may also send an online condolence message or sign the guestbook there.
