Obituary of Rainold Joseph Franek

Rainold Joseph Franek, "Joe" to friends and "Bumper" to family, was born on May 29, 1918 in Leigh, Nebraska to Joseph and Mary Franek, second generation Czechoslovakians who raised Joe in the nearby town of Clarkson. He left Doane College and joined the Navy during WWII, where he became an officer and pilot serving in the South Pacific and later in the Berlin Airlift. It was during the War that he met Nonette, from New Zealand, who stole his heart from the moment he laid eyes on her. They were soon married and began building their life together with four children, Michael, Neiani, Charlotte, and Melissa. When the War ended, Joe continued his career in the Navy as an Aviator and Intelligence Officer. The family moved often as he was stationed in fifteen different locations over the next two decades, including Hawaii and France. While stationed in Washington, DC, he received his Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University. Upon retiring from the Navy, Joe and Nonette moved to Oakland, CA where he began his second career in college administration at the College of Art and Crafts and Holy Names University. Joe died on July 14, 2015 at the age of 97, only 55 days after his bride of 72 years. Theirs is a wonderful love story of an amazing life together, which included 16 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. He lived his life straight from the heart and was never afraid to show his love for his family.