Obituary for Francis Norman Foulke
October 8, 1919 – June 28, 2012Francis Norman (“Frank”) Foulke, 92, died early Thursday, June 28th, at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers after a broken hip and a broken heart. He was born in Indianapolis, IN to the late Francis P. and Hazel Foulke and was widowed only five weeks earlier by his wife of 52 years, Vera Gerhart Foulke.
Born at the end of WWI and raised during the Depression, Frank led an adventurous life that was jump
started by WWII. In 1941, he joined the Navy and served aboard the submarine USS Gurnard mostly in the Pacific. Upon his return from the war, he married and took a job working on the Trans-Arabian pipeline, a job that took him to Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Lebanon, where his son Glenn was born in 1953. He returned the family stateside in 1954. After divorcing his 1st wife, he settled as a single father in Kansas City, KS working at the old Municipal Airport in Kansas City as an Electrical Engineer in Navigation & Communications for what eventually became the Federal Aviation Administration.
Frank met and married Vera Gerhart in Kansas City in 1959. Together, they moved to Lake Lotawana in 1960 where their daughter Lisa was born in 1962. Frank thrived on life at the lake. He learned to sail and raced every weekend with the Butterfly Fleet, with, and eventually against, both Glenn and Lisa. He was the Fleet Captain for many years, as well as serving a term as Commodore of the Missouri Yacht Club. Frank also enjoyed traveling to regattas with the family, at one point purchasing a triple-boat trailer so that 3-4 boats could be transported to the Nationals and other events.
Perhaps inspired by tales from other intrepid lake sailors, Frank at some point got the “crazy idea” of living aboard a sailboat in retirement. Having never captained more than a 12’ scow, a land yacht (Buick), and a dream, he started taking Coast Guard courses and preparing a nervous Vera for the day when he put in a “low-ball offer” and became the owner of a 42’ motor sailor docked in St. Petersburg, FL. Retiring in 1980 from the FAA, they named their new boat Vera Crews (they dubbed the dinghy Frankie Rose!) and began to learn the ropes of the live-aboard life. After a year or so, Vera finally became comfortable with cruising and they sold their house at H-9 in 1982. They sailed Florida’s Intercoastal Waterway with no permanent address from St. Augustine to Key West to St. Petersburg for a few years before venturing to the Bahamas one winter, and eventually doing a couple of trips up the East Coast as far as Philadelphia.
In 1986, Frank and Vera put down new roots in Ft. Myers, FL, purchasing a house on a canal in Ft. Myers where they could tie Vera Crews out back. They joined the Cape Coral Sailing Club and spent several years cruising with the folks they met there. Frank served as Commodore in 1993.
Frank will be remembered for his quick wit, strong opinions, killer cocktails, “barbershop” voice, and generous smile.
Frank is survived by son Glenn Foulke of Lake Lotawana, MO, his wife Lori and their daughters Elena and Mariel; and daughter Lisa Foulke Pline of Annapolis, MD, her husband Alex and their daughters Lexi and Ellie.
An online memorial can be found at www.frankandvera.com. A private burial will be in Glensted, MO at a future date.
Frank is survived by son Glenn Foulke of Lake Lotawana, MO, his wife Lori and their daughters Elena and Mariel; and daughter Lisa Foulke Pline of Annapolis, MD, her husband Alex and their daughters Lexi and Ellie.
An online memorial can be found at www.frankandvera.com. A private burial will be in Glensted, MO at a future date.