Frank 'WOOF' Beagle

Frank “WOOF” Beagle

Life Story

Have you ever met a person that was so original you knew you’d never forget him? Frank Beagle was one of those people. His love for life, especially flying, his ability to connect with people, and his rich, booming laugh made Frank easy to remember.

His story began in 1943, during World War II. Anne Lane, a young woman from Anaconda, Montana, boldly stepped away from her small town life to work at the shipping docks in Portland, Oregon. She was a fiercely independent person with a mind of her own and it was in Portland that she gave birth to her first child on November 27, 1943. Named after his uncle, little Frank spent his formative years in Portland, living in a dormitory with other women and children brought together to work for the war effort. She loved him as devotedly as she loved her freedom and her entire life, during private moments, she would called him “Frannie”. Their relationship, through all the twists and turns of life, remained strong until her passing.

It wasn’t long until the war was over and work in Portland was not as prevalent. Anne and her husband, Charles Beagle, began to drive trucks across the United States, taking goods wherever they needed to go. One of their stops brought them to Kankakee, Illinois, and it was a moment that changed their history forever. Anne was in Kankakee long enough to make friends with other moms in the area and as her friendships deepened, she decide to stay. Soon young Frank’s brother and sister were born. Firm roots had been planted in Kankakee. They established a residence at 180 Chicago Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois, and Frank’s life was centered in the area for the next 60 years.

Teenaged Frank already showed a zest for life. He displayed a talent for music, playing sousaphone in the high school marching band and starting a collection of 45 records. He enjoyed hi-jinx adventures, often involving friends and his mom. And most significantly, he began to spend time at local airports in Kankakee, Illinois. It was there at the airfield that teen Frank began a love affair that carried him through the rest of his life, a love affair with flying.

He quickly discovered rocketry and model airplanes and his keen ability with all things mechanical helped in the creation of many flying devices. Eventually, sending other objects into flight was no longer enough. He wanted to be in the clouds too. Skydiving was the next natural step and he loved the thrill of it. Frank found solid friends in the local skydiving group and spent many sunny days at Koerner Airport, flying up in a plane and floating down with his parachute. An injury, while seeming traumatic at the time, was the impetus for the first step on a road that became his ultimate mission.

Long before the end of his skydiving years, Frank began to attend the Oshkosh Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This international fly-in was, and still is, a hot spot for the latest innovations in sport flying. It was there in the late 1970s, when skydiving was no longer possible for him, that Frank discovered the ultralight, which at the time was nothing more than a pair of wings with a small engine. He built his first ultralight, an Easy Riser, in his one-car garage and taught himself (with guidance from friends) how to fly it at Koerner’s. Ultralight flying became his world. He would go on to own two more ultralights over the years, each one more sophisticated than the previous model.

This new version of air sport was in it’s infancy. Frank learned about ultralight flight through trial and error. He realized this and began to share his knowledge with other ultralight pilots. His vast knowledge of engines, physics, and flight protocols became the basis for ultralight safety seminars throughout the Midwest. Frank lived and breathed flight safety and over the years, many pilots thanked him for saving their lives, keeping them from making stupid mistakes in the air. He went on to help organize, chair, and announce for the ultralight field at the Oshkosh Airshow, now called ‘Airventure’. For over 25 years, people came to know ‘That Voice’ as he kept up a constant stream of banter about any aircraft that came into his view.

As much as he enjoyed life and flying, Frank held a deep love for his family. During his time in the Navy, he met and married Louise Tanguay of Connecticut. Their daughter Catherine was born in 1967. Life took them back to Kankakee and while that marriage ended, his relationship with Cathy continued to grow over the years. In the early 1970s Frank met Nancy Kaitschuk, a local kindergarten teacher. He fell in love with her caring and adventurous spirit and they married for life in 1977. Nancy and Frank built a world together that supported his love of flying and her love of teaching. On February 1, 1986, their son, Frank Richard, was born and they were elated. Papa Frank took great pride in helping his son explore the world for the first time. Frank’s family was his solid rock, allowing him to explore his other passions knowing that waiting in Kankakee was a home and the people that loved him most.

Frank’s life continued on that path of flying and family for another 27 years. He was employed as a technician by Copier Dynamics for 25 years, retiring in 2011 and was a member of local EAA chapter 990 and American Lutheran Church in Bourbonnais. Frank had friends and admirers all over the world and he kept his family close to his heart. He peacefully left this world for a final flight among the stars on Sunday, May 12, 2013.

Frank is survived by his wife, Nancy; one son, Frankie Beagle of Kankakee; one daughter, Cathy and (Greg) Arnett of Caro, MI; three grandchildren, Nathan Arnett, Benjamin Arnett, and Emily Arnett, all of Caro, MI; and many in-law siblings, nieces, nephews, friends, and aviation enthusiasts. He was preceded in death by his mother, Anne Hinkle; his sister, Mary Moore; and his brother, Steve Beagle.

A gathering time for friends and family will be held on Friday, May 17, 2013 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Schreffler Life Story Funeral Home’s Kankakee Chapel. A celebration of Frank’s life funeral service will be Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at American Lutheran Church, 1560 Career Center Road, Bourbonnais. Cremation rites to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials to family wishes will be used for a future donation in Frank’s name. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can learn more about Frank’s life, archive a favorite memory, or photo and sign the online guestbook.