Frank Anthony Frabotta

The funeral service for Frank Anthony Frabotta, 88 of Lawton, will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 18, 2018 at the Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home Chapel with Deacon Mike Romaka of the Holy Family Catholic Church officiating. 
His burial will be at the Post Cemetery on Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 
There will be a special viewing and visitation from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 17, 2018 at the funeral home. 
Mr. Frabotta passed away on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 in Lawton. 
Frank was born on July 17, 1929 in Freemansburg, Pennsylvania to Samuel Charles Frabotta and Maria (Strizzi) Frabotta.  His father worked until retirement at the Bethlehem steel and when Frank graduated from high school he went to work there also...for one day. Knowing that that was not the life for him, he started his military career by joining the Navy as a submariner. He then joined the Air Force as a gunner in a B29 and flew many combat missions over Korea. Next, was a stint in the Marines where he became an artilleryman, then finally, he served the remainder of his military career in the Army where he continued his role as a field artilleryman. While stationed in Germany for the first time, he met and fell in love with his wife Paula and together they started a family.  As an interesting note, later on during his second stationing in Nurnberg, Germany, he was attached to the gun section that retired “Atomic Annie,” the first gun in history to fire an atomic round.  This gun is on display at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. 
After retiring from the military, he settled his family in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.  Once his children were grown and had families of their own, he and Paula moved to Cañon City, Colorado.  They dwelt there briefly but decided to move to their final home in Lawton, Oklahoma where they would have access to Ft. Sill resources (as well as family support from their daughter, Claudia).  Frank continued to work for many years until he finally retired for the last time at 81, when Paula needed his help at home.
He was a lifelong Catholic whose passions were for family, friends and country. His devotion to his wife, whom he called Schatz (German for treasure), was truly exemplary and by his actions, more than his words, he demonstrated that devotion to her daily, considering her needs before his own.  Throughout his life, he sacrificed his own desires for others around him; he and Paula worked tirelessly together to provide a loving home for their children.
He was the life of any gathering and liked by everyone.  At every opportunity he loved to visit his family in Freemansburg, Pennsylvania and also his wife’s family in Germany. He and Paula loved to have an excuse to have parties at their home.  Birthdays, anniversaries, the 4th of July, and perhaps especially at Christmas; these events were always celebrated with as many guests and commotion as possible.  Small children clung to Frank as if he had “child magnets” in his loving arms.
He had a love of flying throughout his life, often taking his son to small civil airfields to watch the aircraft come and go and daydream of owning an airplane of his own one day.  Finally, at the age of 70, he earned his pilot’s license. He loved many other things including hunting and fishing, singing along with any song, leather-working, and so much more.

He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Paula Frabotta (Née Danner); his son Samuel and his wife Angelica Jane Frabotta of Hallam, PA; his daughters, Jennie Frabotta of Apache, and Claudia and her husband Joe Ragsdale of Lawton; his grandchildren, Sarah Kirkwood, Cara Mangold, Patricia Frabotta, Ryan Ragsdale, Ian Mangold, Karl Mangold, Kaycie Rogers, Tanya Anderson, Kevin Koeshartono, and Winona Koeshartono; nine great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be missed by us all more than he can know, but oh the memories we have!
He is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Maria Frabotta; his brother Alfred Frabotta; and his sisters Jennie Cimino, Philomena Kuzio, and Esther Brouse.  

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