Frank Ralph Hanel Sr. age 99, of Wolf Point died at Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
Born October 15th, 1912 near Cohagen, Montana to Anna Pavlicek Hanel and Vaclav Hanel, he attended school in Glendive and Miles City where he graduated High School. Frank was one of the earliest workers at the Fort Peck Dam, where he was initially employed to clear brush. He also worked on the dam as an equipment operator and truck driver.
On April 3, 1936 he married Alice Folden in Glasgow, Mt. They lived in Wheeler where Frank was employed by Buttrey’s Clothing store. Frank and Alice then moved to Wolf Point where he was employed at the Fad. In 1939 the couple moved back to Glasgow where he managed the Standard Oil gas station and bulk plant and began a family. In 1944 the family moved back to Wolf Point when Frank became a partner in Camrud Motors and a few years later became the sole owner. He worked at Camrud Motors for “50 Years to the day”. Frank was a longtime member of the First Lutheran Church. He served on the Wolf Point Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of the Trinity Hospital. He was also involved in the planning and building of Faith Lutheran Home. He was honored as Boss of The Year in 1961 and was the Grand Marshall of the Wild Horse Stampede in 2008.
While raising eight children and running Camrud Motors, Frank was a tireless worker who also had other business interests including farming, mobile home sales and operating a mobile home park. He was also a principal investor in Citizens First National Bank. During his 80’s and 90’s Frank became a recycler, spending endless hours collecting, crushing and boxing up aluminum cans, which he sold and then gave the proceeds to First Lutheran Church for the Youth Group.
Frank enjoyed big game hunting, deep sea and stream fishing, farming, woodworking, yard work and especially spending time with his growing family including his many grand and great-grand children.
Survivors include his wife of 75 years; his children, JoAn Houg (Loren)of Wolf Point, Joyce Mann (LeeRoy) of Roundup, Jeanie Bickle (Harry) of Wake Village, Tx, Jeriann Hanel of Baker, MT, Janny Parsley (Dave)of Wolf Point, Judy Lanterman (Gary) of Livingston MT, June Vogt (Mike) of Satellite Beach Fl and Frank Hanel Jr. (Tammie) of Craig CO; his brother, Tom Hanel Sr. of Miles City; 78 grandchildren; great-grandchildren; great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frank was preceded in death by his brothers Joe, Ray, Tony, James, and 2 sisters Annie Farnes and Mary Steen; 3 great grandchildren; and his grandson’s wife, Denise Williams.
Visitation will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, February 16 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, February 17 at the First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Interment will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.