Francis (Frank) Hawkes Gunnell of Bountiful, Utah died December 15, 1993 of congestive heart failure at Lakeview Hospital.
Frank was born June 7, 1906 in Wellsville, Utah to Frank Owens and Alsamina (Elsie) Smart Hawkes Gunnell. He graduated from South Cache High School, Hyrum Utah in 1924 where he played foot ball and was a member of the school band. He then attended Brigham Young Academy in Logan 1924-25, where he also played football. Frank filled a mission to the Netherlands 1925-27. After completing his mission, he attended Utah State University 1927-29 where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology, and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. In the fall of 1929 he began his graduate work at the University of Missouri at Columbia, where he was elected to be a member of Sigma Xi. He completed his master's degree in June 1930. He completed additional graduate work at the University of Missouri and the University of California at Berkley, where he had a Thompson Fellowship in Micro Paleontology research. While attending graduate school, Frank worked for the U. S. Forest Service as a ranger at the Petrified Forest in Arizona and for the Missouri Highway Department as a geologist.His full time employment included: a Geological Assessor for the Utah State Tax Commission, 1933; Consulting Geologist, 1937; and in 1941 he acquired the Buckskin Gold Mine at Stanley, Idaho. He combined this with the Valley Creek claim and formed the Western Gold Exploration Company. This company shipped ore to the Garfield smelter until Frank designed and built a mill near the Buckskin Mine that produced and refined gold bricks which were shipped to the U. S. Mint in Denver.
He took a position in 1941 with the U. S. Bureau of Mines as a Mining Engineer for the Strategic Metals Division. In 1947 he founded the Mineral Fertilizer Company, with the initial plant being built in Midvale, Utah where he served as president of the company from its organization until his death.
He married Maud Cooley, June 14, 1934 in the Logan LDS Temple. She died March 3, 1978. Married Edith Nyman, December 28, 1978 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
Survivors include his wife Edith, Bountiful; two sons: Dr. John Cooley Gunnell, Glendale, Calif.; James Frank Gunnell, Salt Lake City. Five daughters: Ellen G. Callister; Margaret G.Laver; Maud May G. Richardson; Jessica G. Kidd; and Juliet G. Hansen, all of Salt Lake City; 27 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two brothers, Merrill H. Gunnell, Logan, Utah; and Farrell H. Gunnell, Sandy, Utah.
Frank was a faithful member of the LDS Church, serving in the Seventies Quorum Presidency and as the High Priest group leader in the Yale Ward. He completed a three year temple assignment and was a home teacher at the time of his death.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 18, 1993 at 11 a.m. in the Kimball Mill Ward, 650 South 200 East. Viewings will be held Friday evening, December 17, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main and Saturday at the church from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment in the Wellsville City Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.
T 12/16 N 12/16