Frank High

Former Ocean Park resident Frank High, 89, died July 15, 2007 at his daughter's home in Oregon City surrounded by family. Frank was born February 8, 1918 at home in Cloverdale, Oregon. His father had become a pharmacist by taking correspondence courses. When Frank was 6 he moved to Salem. At age 16 he hopped a freight train for San Francisco. There he worked as a bell boy at the Pickwick Hotel and later drove taxi cab and worked in vaudeville theatres. With the outbreak of the Second World War Frank served with the US Merchant Marine and also the US Coast Guard. He served as an electrician and junior officer aboard ammunition transport ships on the route from the west coast to the south Pacific. With the war over, Frank settled in Portland. He took the City of Portland passenger train to South Bend, Indiana where he bought a new Studebaker car, drove it back to Portland where he promptly sold it and then operated Frank's Used Car Sales on Northeast Union Avenue. With that venture behind him he bought the Vegetable Juice Company which he ran for 18 years. During this time he also operated a truck farm at Carver on the banks of the Clackamas River. He farmed this until 1970 when he joined the Teamsters Union and went to work for Safeway Stores, working at their Clackamas warehouse. He retired in 1981. Having bought property in Surfside in 1979, he built his home "High Haven" and moved there in 1981. He became an active member of Ocean Park Community Church and later attended Peninsula Baptist Church. Shortly after moving to Ocean Park Frank began working as an assistant funeral director at Penttila's Chapel by The Sea in Long Beach. He enjoyed helping families and making new friendships. He retired from that job when he was 87 and moved to Oregon City to be near family. Frank was an avid boater and fisherman who relished ocean fishing from Hammond, Oregon and Ilwaco and also trout fishing. He also enjoyed clamming and traveling, especially trips to Alaska and Italy and listening to jazz. Blessed with a delightful sense of humor, Frank willingly gave of his time and energy. Family was paramount to him and to know him was to love him. Frank married Mary Clifton when he was 21 in San Francisco and they became parents of two children. They later divorced. In 1945 he married Mary Moses in Vancouver, Washington and they became parents of 7 children. When Mary's health failed and necessitated nursing home care, Frank began volunteering at Ocean View Convalescent Center in Long Beach. He assisted whenever and wherever for a number of years, was named Volunteer of the Year in 2001, and reluctantly ceased his role several years ago. Mary died in December of 2000. Frank is survived by sons Jim (Marilyn) High of Waldport, OR, Jerry High of Oregon City and David (Suzanna) High of Belmont, MA; daughters Judith (Marc) Queck of Greenwood, Indiana, Linda French of Anchorage, AK, Nancy (John) Parry of Oregon City, Elaine Jefferson of Bound Brook, NJ, Esther (Tim) Mantia of Oregon City and Ruth (Augie) Paone of Anchorage, AK; 23 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and brother Charles (Opal) High of Burlingame, CA. Funeral service will be Sunday, July 22, 2007, 2:00 PM at Penttila's Chapel by The Sea, Long Beach. A luncheon reception will follow at the chapel. Concluding graveside service will be Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 1:00 PM at Pleasant View Cemetery in Logan, Oregon. A reception follows at the Logan Community Church where Frank had been a member. Memorials may be made to either the Pleasant View Cemetery Association or Ocean View Convalescent Center in care of Penttila's Chapel by The Sea, PO Box 417, Long Beach, WA 98631.