Obituary of Frank S Nicodem
Frank S. Nicodem, formerly of Scranton PA and Springbrook Township PA, died Saturday, August 5, 2017 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, the former Helen Nicholas of Clarks Summit, Springbrook Township and Scranton PA. He has known his wife since they were 11 years old and shared a married life with her for 68 years.
Born in Scranton, son of the late Frank and Helen LaBonce Nicodem, he resided in Springbrook Twp for 40 years before relocating to Titusville PA in 2005 to be closer to family. A graduate of West Scranton High School, he attended the University of Scranton under the GI bill. He also attended the University of Wisconsin for instruction in the use of CAD-CAM for design and manufacturing of mechanical parts and printed circuit boards. Enlisting in 1950, he was an Air Force veteran serving during the Berlin airlift, then recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He also served an additional 14 years in the U.S. Air Force Ready Reserve.
He was employed by the Babcox & Wilcox Co as a supervisor to produce production drawings for construction of electric power generating equipment. He was next transferred to the Nuclear Design Group to design and prepare heat exchanger and reactor containment vessel drawings for the experimental nuclear powered cargo ship N.S. Savannah.
Supervisory assignments continued with employment at the U.S. Navy Air Engineering Facility at the former Philadelphia Navy Yard. He was responsible for writing repair and maintenance manuals for equipment used to launch and retrieve carrier based aircraft. He also served as consultant with the Naval Military Attache at the Dutch Embassy in Washington DC for resolution of problems encountered during installing US Navy equipment on a Dutch aircraft carrier.
The engineering division of Foster Wheeler Co employed him in 1961 as a supervisor for pressure parts design. He was also a member of the design team to develop, in conjunction with Westinghouse Corp, drawings for propulsion equipment used in the US Navy’s James Madison Class nuclear submarines.
From 1972 until his retirement in 1994, he was employed at the Tobyhanna Army Depot as manager of the Engineering Drafting Branch. His branch provided engineering drafting support for the Satellite Communications Agency, US Army Electronics Command, as well as other Army and Air Force agencies.
Frank was a good husband, provider, father, and grandfather who enjoyed his children and grandchildren in their formative years, and took much pride in both their academic and athletic accomplishments as they grew into adulthood. He always stressed education to his children, grandchildren, and counseled young people who worked with him on the importance of formal education. He considered himself a good steward of the environment, respecting everything Mother Nature provided for him to enjoy during his visit on Earth.
He thoroughly enjoyed listening to jazz music and its many talented performers of the 1950s, 1960s, & 1970s etc. throughout his life. Among his many other interests, travel and love of the sea shore gave him an opportunity to follow his primary hobby, photography. Included in his extensive photo collection are many of the architectural treasures of Scranton and other locations he visited during his lifetime. Additional photos were taken of numerous types of birds who ate at his bird feeder and other animals that also considered his Springbrook land their home.
Also surviving are 3 daughters; Janis Frankhouser and husband Harry, Mt. Joy PA; Leah Carter and husband Joseph, Titusville PA; Molly York and husband Jamie, Brandon FL; a sister Helen Gill, Grand Rapids MI; 5 grandchildren, Sarah, Emily and Andrew York, Rachel and Allison Carter and two nephews, Mark Buddy, Ada MI, and Keith Gill, Grand Rapids, MI.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Stephen Evans Nicodem.
He attended St. Peters Lutheran Church Scranton for over 40 years and was a member of Hyde Park Masonic Lodge 339 F&AM since 1953.
Friends may call on Wednesday August 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home 303 N. Washington St. Titusville, PA. A private funeral service will be held on Thursday for the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Masonic Charities, One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 or Titusville Area Hospital, 406 West Oak Street, Titusville, PA 16354.
If you wish to leave a condolence for the family, visit garrettfuneralhomeinc.com
