Deceased April 28, 2019
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In Memory
Frank, 90, passed away peacefully in West Hartford, Conn., on April 28, 2019. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Evelyn Lyman Smith; daughters Wendy Smith, Kimberly Pratt, Brenda Sanden and Cheryl Espinal; and eight grandchildren.
After earning his J.D. in 1953 from Boston University School of Law, Frank spent 10 years with Allstate Insurance, followed by 32 years with Aetna Life and Casualty as a bond claim attorney and later doing legal analysis and technical writing.
At Amherst, Frank was active in Delta Upsilon. He also played baseball four years for the College. On Frank’s 90th birthday, his grandchildren gave him an array of Amherst memorabilia, which he proudly displayed in his nursing home room. His family all knew how much Amherst meant to him.
According to his daughter Brenda ’85, Frank never lost his Amherst spirit. For more than 40 years, Frank and his dear friend Roger Conant (Trinity College ’45) never missed the annual Amherst/Trinity football game. The loser bought the winner dinner. Not originally in favor of Amherst going coed, Frank changed his mind when Brenda decided to go there. He especially enjoyed visiting Brenda at Amherst in 1982, when she resided in the old South College dormitory in the exact same room Frank had in 1947. Brenda picked the room in a housing lottery.
Frank loved spending time with his family, sports, politics, swimming, gardening and traveling. To celebrate his 80th birthday and 50th wedding anniversary, he took his wife, his daughters and their families on a combination Disney World vacation/Disney cruise. In retirement, Frank served for many years as the tour organizer for the Old Guard of Connecticut.
He never lost his Amherst-inspired quest for knowledge or zest for living.
Brenda Sanden ’85