Obituary: Frank Otto Fonnesbeck

Frank Otto Fonnesbeck 1911 ~ 2005 Frank Otto Fonnesbeck was born in Logan, Utah, January 5, 1911, the son of Jens Christian and Anna Christine Andersen Fonnesbeck. He died July 17, 2005 at the age of 94. He attended schools in Logan and graduated with honors from the Brigham Young College Training School. At Logan High School, he played football, received awards in debate and journalism, and was a student body officer. He graduated from Utah State University in 1933, with a B.S. in Forestry. He was editor of the school newspaper "Student Life" for two years, was president of the Forester's Club and was a founder of the Blue Key service fraternity. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. While at Utah State, he met LaRae Kerr Skeen from Salt Lake City. They were married March 22, 1934 and were the parents of five children. Frank was baptized a member of the L.D.S. Church in 1940, and their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. LaRae died September 3, 1980. During his teen years, Frank worked at the Fonnesbeck Knitting Works in Logan, operating the power-driven knitting machines. He worked his way through school fighting summer forest fires in Idaho and Montana. After graduation, he worked as a foreman and engineer on several CCC projects, working under the U.S. Forest Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the National Park Service. At the outbreak of World War II, he and his family moved to Salt Lake City, where he was employed as an Industrial Engineer with Remington Arms Company. Later, he transferred to Hanford, Washington and spent two years as an Industrial Engineer with the DuPont Company on the Manhattan Project, developing plutonium for the Atomic Bomb. He received an award from the Secretary of War in recognition of his service. After the war, he was employed as a Design Engineer with the Utah State Road Commission. He then became a Safety Engineer for USF&G Insurance Company, supervising work in engineering and auditing in Utah, and in parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nevada. His job included inspecting the rides at Lagoon and he performed inspections of the wooden rollercoaster on foot. At his retirement, he received a plaque for having driven over one-half million miles without an accident. After his retirement, he served as Risk Manager at Hogle Zoo. Frank has a great legacy in Scouting and has been a registered Scout for 82 years. He served in nearly all capacities, from Patrol Leader to District Chairman. He received the Eagle Scout Award while a boy in Logan, and received many honors, including the Silver Beaver, the District Award of Merit, the District Citation, and the On My Honor Award. At the time of his death, he was serving on the Troop Committee in the Parley's 4th Ward. His posterity includes two sons and twenty-one grandsons or great-grandsons who are Eagle Scouts. In the LDS Church, he held many positions in Bishopric, Quorum, Stake, and Sunday School. He was loved and respected as the patriarch of his family. Several years ago, a granddaughter challenged him to write a monthly letter to each family member, touching on various happenings in his life. He met this challenge, and faithfully sent a newsletter to some seventy of his posterity. He was very supportive of his children and grandchildren, encouraging higher education and showing interest in all of their endeavors. He was skilled with tools and was always willing to put an addition on a house or finish a basement, ready or not. He enjoyed gardening, playing tennis, fly fishing, and reading. He was very interested in genealogical research, and made several trips to Denmark searching out ancestral records. In the 1980s, he published the Frank and LaRae Fonnesbeck Family History book that is treasured by all the members of his family. He was an ardent supporter of the annual family reunion in Logan, and strongly encouraged the rest of the family to attend. He is survived by his sister, Elaine Rasmuson; his two sons, Christian Skeen Fonnesbeck (Sydney), and Robert William Fonnesbeck (Kristine); and three daughters, Geryl Lynn Ingram (Robert), Annette Torres (Emerito), and Kathryn Lamb (Wayne); along with 28 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 23, at 11:00 a.m. in the Parley's 4th Ward Chapel, 1870 Parley's Canyon Blvd. Friends may call on Saturday from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be at the Logan City Cemetery, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Contributions may be made to the Frank O. and LaRae Skeen Fonnesbeck Scholarship in Natural Resources at Utah State University, Development Office, 1420 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-1420.