Edwin Frank, former Hoffman Estates trustee and founder of children's memorial, dies
Former Hoffman Estates village Trustee Edwin L. Frank, who spearheaded the creation of a memorial at village hall for children in the community who have died, passed away Thursday at the age of 93.
Born and raised in New Jersey and a Korean War veteran, Frank moved to Illinois for his career in 1963 and made Hoffman Estates the primary residence of his adult life.
He became a member of several village commissions, including the zoning board from 1977 to 1992, for which he was chair for five years. He was appointed to the village board in 1992 and served as a trustee until 2005.
"He devoted a lot of years to serving the village," Mayor Bill McLeod said. "He was a wonderful guy. We all enjoyed serving with him."
It was Frank's idea for the village to have a children's memorial for grieving families in the community. His resolve saw the $30,000 Edwin Frank Children's Memorial become a reality in 2009.
"It's been a long time coming, and I hope that it helps a lot of parents and relatives that have lost kids over the past 50 years in Hoffman Estates," Frank said shortly before its completion.
A combat reporter for the Air Force during the Korean War, Frank's military service meant a lot to him - as did his Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., in 2016.
"I was anxious to go, to see what it was like," he told the Daily Herald at the time. "I wasn't emotional about any of it until we got to the Korean War Memorial. I choked up. We owe so much to our veterans. That touched me."
His role as a reporter put him aboard planes in combat. On one occasion, he was close enough to see the six-digit number of an enemy aircraft and faced the possibility of having to evacuate while in flight.
With a marketing degree from Rutgers and an MBA from Lewis University, Frank held marketing, market research, advertising and logistics positions at major corporations until he retired in 1996. He later taught those same skills at several local colleges for a number of years.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marcia, as well as three children and two grandchildren.
He will lie in repose at St. Hubert Catholic Church, 729 Grand Canyon St. in Hoffman Estates, from 9 a.m. Thursdayntil the time of the funeral Mass there at 10 a.m.
Burial will be at St. Michael the Archangel in Palatine.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60631; the American Cancer Society, PO Box 1640, Hagerstown, MD 21741; or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 1 N. LaSalle Street, Ste. 1200, Chicago, IL 60603.
For more information about the funeral, video tribute or online condolences, visit ahlgrimfuneral.com or call (847) 882-5580.