My husband's grandfather, Donald Raymond Frenk, Sr. died Wednesday, September 24, 2008, after a courageous battle with cancer. Donald Raymond Frenk was one of the men our country literally knocked on the door of and asked to help invent rocket science.
His parents, John and Marie Frenk, came from Germany without knowing the english language or anything about the culture of the US and began their family. (I can't even begin to imagine the kind of courage it must take to leave all you know and to go to a country where you know no one and don't speak the language just so that you can have the hope of providing a better life for your family!) John and Marie Frenk raised Donald and his brother, John and sisters, Betty Jane"Connie" Frenk and Elenor Frenk in the United States. But it would be Donald Raymond Frenk who would make history...
The way they tell the story is so funny: Don, Joshua's dad, says that one day while they were living in the midwest a knock was heard on the front door. When Donald, Sr. went to answer it there were some men standing there all in nice black suits. One of them said, "Mr. Frenk, we represent the United States Government, and we need you to get a man on the moon." Apparently Donald Frenk said, "There are places for men like you. they are called asyllums." and closed the door!!! Ha! Ha! The men had to go to quite a lot of work to convince him that they really were from the US government.
What followed is the stuff of american legend: Donald Raymond Frenk, Sr. moved his family from the midwest to Florida and began the task of inventing a whole new engineering science. He literally was the guy who invented the rocket propulsion systems that would become the foundation of modern day NASA rocket science.
He was proud of his work on the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle. He was called out of retirement several times by NASA to help advice and oversee various projects. Later, he also worked as an independent consultant for various private companies needing to launch satelites and such. He had several degrees including a Masters from Rollins and was a mechanical engineer. In his younger days he loved to fly and soloed many happy hours.
NASA is planning to honor his contribution to rocket science this weekend with a special ceremony.
In Remembrence of:
Donald Raymond Frenk, Sr.
December 12, 1925 - September 24, 2008
Although I never had the pleasure to meet Donald Raymond Frenk, Sr. in person, his grandson (my husband), Joshua Frenk, would often tell me how proud he was of his grandfather's contributions to rocket science and would look forward to his grandfather's letters around Christmas time. Donald Frenk always took the time to inquire in those letters about what his grandson was doing in the world and to encourage him to go after his dreams. Not every family is blessed with someone who truly "wrote history" in their life and the Frenk family should be proud of such an incredible legacy.
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Project Gemini, which Donald Raymond Frenk, Sr. worked on, was the second human spaceflight program of the United States of America. It operated between Projects Mercury and Apollo, during the years 1963-1966. Its objective was to develop techniques for advanced space travel, notably those necessary for Project Apollo, whose objective was to land men on the Moon. Gemini missions involved extravehicular activity and orbital maneuvers
including rendezvous and docking.
