Frank Charles Wegner

Frank Charles Wegner was born on August 24, 1931, in Lewiston, Idaho to Albert H. and Eleanor Wegner. He transitioned from this world on September 12, 2023, at the age of 92 with his son by his side.

When Frank was approximately four years old, his family moved to Rockland, Idaho to dry farm. He lived with his grandmother Emma Wegner in Twin Falls during the school year, graduating from Twin Falls High School in 1949. After graduation, he joined the military during the Korean War and served proudly in the navy. He was stationed in El Cajon, California and often joked that he was the only sailor in the navy that never stepped foot on a ship. Frank served his country with pride.

While on leave in 1951, he eloped to Pocatello and married Naomi Huff. They returned to El Cajon, and he was honorably discharged after serving two years, and he and Naomi returned to Rockland, Idaho so he could continue to work on the family dry farm. After several grueling years of dry farming, he came back from the fields to the ranch house, covered in dirt from head to toe and said, “I’m going to barber school!” He and Naomi moved to Nampa, Idaho and he attended the Idaho State Barber School in Boise. Upon receiving his license, they moved to Pocatello, Idaho, in 1956 where he began his new career at the Whitman Hotel Barber Shop. He owned several barber shops in Pocatello over the years through 1985. Frank and Naomi had three children together.

In January 1986, Frank made a career change and began selling vehicles at Glen’s Chevrolet from which he retired in 2000. However, six months into retirement, a friend called and asked him if he still had his barber’s license. Once again, he entered the work force as a barber and worked part time cutting hair, catching up with old friends and meeting new friends until the age of 82 when he really decided to retire!

Frank was recognized for many accomplishments throughout his lifetime. Devoted to his barbering career, in 1962 he was president of the State Barber’s Association. In 1977, he was voted Barber of the Year by his peers. He served as a Bannock County Waterway Committee member and helped to place docks and ramps in surrounding reservoirs.

He was a known boat enthusiast and was President of the Seagull Bay Boat Club for a year. His entire family loved boating and water skiing as much as he did. The family, along with friends and relatives, were often at American Falls Reservoir each weekend and later, at the family cabin at Palisade Reservoir.

Frank and Naomi enjoyed traveling and made yearly trips to the Oregon Coast and Yellowstone, and had the trip of their life to Israel, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Greece, and Holland.

On April 7, 2017, Naomi passed away. While this loss was exceedingly difficult for him, his daughters encouraged him to get out, get involved, and try new things. He began attending events at the Pocatello Senior Citizens Center and met Betty Davies in October 2018. Their first date was all you can eat crab. The attraction for each other was immediate. Betty describes him as an awesome guy, so loving, thoughtful, and kind, and just what the two of them needed. They were united on April 10, 2019. They hit the road and had a blast, traveling to Redfish Lake, Yellowstone Park, and the Oregon Coast twice where they enjoyed fried oysters with his grandson. Frank and Betty wintered in Quartzsite, Arizona and loved attending the jams and dances as well as a little time at the local casinos! They made many wonderful friends there. They were able to enjoy two unforgettable trips to Nashville where Betty’s kids took them everywhere including the Grand Ole Opry and Elvis’s birthplace. They traveled to Mississippi where they met Betty’s family. Although their time together was brief, it was rich in the love that they had for each other and the memories they built. They were sweethearts.

Frank was a man of faith and once said, “If you don’t have Jesus, you have nothing.” The day before he passed, with Chuck, Torrey, and Karie at his side and through an morphine-induced sleep, he very clearly and audibly said, “Jesus.”

Frank is survived by his sweetheart and wife, Betty Davies; his children Teresa (Chris) Lewis, Cydney (Linda Parsons) Wegner, Chuck (Wyatt) Orr; grandchildren Tawna Brockett, Seth Lewis, Jenna Thompson, Tracey Waldron, Gary Gaskell; and great grandchildren Baily Brockett, Anna Brockett, Jordan Lewis, Mady Lewis, Dylan Griffin, Silas Thompson; stepchildren David Whitaker, Melanie Whitaker, Marilana (Russ) McCoy; Torrey Whitaker; Tracy Whitaker; and many step-grandchildren/step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Naomi Wegner; grandson Nathan Wegner, both of his parents; sister Willadine Messner; brother Dan Wegner; stepchildren Cheryl Whitaker, Eddie Whitaker, Don Whitaker.

The family would like to thank the caring staff of Brookdale Pocatello who cared for him the last six months and the human angels from Symbii Home Health and Hospice who helped him make the final transition from this life to the next: Michaela, Crystal, Laura, Lynell, Tera, Todd, and Miranda.

During the last days of Frank’s life, the following poem resonated with his kids:

I am standing upon the seashore.

A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze

and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says:

“There, she is gone!”

“Gone where?”

Gone from my sight. That is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says:

“There, she is gone!” There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here she comes!”

And that is dying…

A 19th Century Funeral Sermon

Funeral services for Frank will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 16, 2023, at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 W. Chubbuck Road, with Steve Wegner officiating. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. A viewing will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, September 15, 2023, at the funeral home and again from 10:00-10:45 a.m. Saturday before the service.

Those who are unable to attend the service can view the service at https://vimeo.com/event/3715136

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