Bernadine L. Frank

Bernadine “Deane” Frank age 91, of Madison, passed away with her husband, Ed, by her side late in the evening of Oct. 14, 2021. Born to John and Marie Gleissner in Milwaukee, Wis., where she spent her early life. Deane worked at a candy store during high school and became a bank teller at First Wisconsin after she graduated from Messmer in 1948. She treasured her group of friends from school (Laurie, Dorie and Lois); they continued to travel and party together their whole lives. Laurie’s family introduced her to travel with a trip to Washington, D.C., after 8th grade and the Four True Friends and Laurie’s sister, Joan, took her first trip to Florida in 1951. Deane also enjoyed many trips with her friend, Dorie Berg, and their family to the cabin at Silver Lake. Deane met the love of her life, Ed Frank, on a blind date in 1952. They married on Jan. 30, 1954. Deane and Ed had two girls: Marie was born in Milwaukee in October of 1955, and Peg was born in Madison in November 1958. While Ed was a student at Marquette University (BS1955, MS 1957) Deane continued to work to support them, especially during fall of 1954 while Ed was trying out for the Packers. The family moved to Middleton in 1957 and, while Ed became a tech for the DNR and continued his studies, Deane began waitressing at Ember’s Supper Club and a bowling alley where she also joined a league. They moved to Whitewater Lake in 1960 when Ed started his first full time job with the DNR and Deane waitressed at the Whitewater Lake Inn. Ed and Deane bought their first home in Madison and joined St. Dennis Church, where they are still members, in 1962. While Ed continued to be promoted at the DNR, and work on his Ph.D., Deane worked at Poole’s Supper Club. In 1968, Deane decided they were going to build their dream house and to do that she went to work full time at AAA making trip tics for member’s road trips and later became a supervisor. Ed and Deane loved the sixties. They enjoyed marriage encounter groups, Euchre club games, Packer parties, 5 o’clock cocktail parties with the Barta’s and Merkel’s and her new friends from AAA (Ann, Lavonne, Barb and Sharon). They moved into her “dream home” in 1969 where she would live for the rest of her life. Deane had always wanted to go to college and she never tired of telling the girls they were definitely going to go. She and Ed offered that if the girls went to UW-Madison they could live at home and both did (Marie B.A. 1977, M.A. 1980 and Margaret B.S. with a double major in 1981 and her D.V.M. in Minnesota in 1989). Deane and Ed suddenly found themselves empty nesters when both girls married in the summer of 1980. Never one to let any grass grow under her feet, Deane and Ed started New Year’s parties, golfing, fishing trips and canoeing with Ed’s wildlife colleagues. They were especially close with Huntoons, Nicoterra’s, Marsh’s and Rabl’s. They started traveling even more, including weekend trips to Las Vegas with the Barta’s where she learned to love gambling, a cruise in Hawaii, which they loved so much they went back five times including their 65th wedding anniversary in 2019 and their favorite trips were six weeks to Florida leaving on Valentine’s Day and back in time for Easter to “follow Spring home” and yearly trips to Alaska to visit Marie and Cliff. The most adventurous trip of their lives was to Africa in 2007 with Peg and her family. Marie and Cliff moved back from Alaska in 1985 to Richland Center, Wis., and couldn’t wait to teach Ed and Deane Bridge. She loved the game, but Ed was less enthused, so she joined a Women’s Bridge Club where she played until 2020. Deane had open heart surgery in 1989 which intensified her love of life. For the rest of her life she lived every day to the fullest. She retired from AAA in 1990 after 20 years. Another dream came true when Ed and Deane bought their cabin on a lake near Spooner, Wis., in 1991. Bruce and Nora Moss became good friends, at first helping them to look for property and then through many visits. Ed and Deane hosted many fun family get-togethers and parties for their friends at the cabin. Deane loved to socialize and throw wonderful parties. Her quick wit and ability to make people laugh was incredible. She could start a party anywhere and always had a deck of cards in her purse. Even in her final years with failing eyesight she could still play a mean game of Euchre. Some of her favorite parties were with her grandchildren, Rebecca and Grace. She spent countless hours playing makebelieve, creating holiday parties, and taking them to fun places especially swimming and the zoo. As they have aged, their relationship with neighbors changed over the years from cocktail parties of the sixties to card clubs in the seventies and grandchild playdates with new younger neighbors (especially the Ofstuns) and these last few years would have been impossible to keep snow off the walks and the lawn mowed and their spirits up without their neighbors. Thank you all so much. As a devout Catholic, the power of prayer was very important to Deane throughout her life. She put up new prayers and cartoons on the bulletin board every week. Deane was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Jack, Robert and Tommy. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Edward “Ed”; and her daughters and their families, Marie (Cliff) Smith daughter Rebecca (Matt Jorgenson) of Richland Center and Peg (Mike Thrasher) of St. Paul, Minn., and their daughter Grace of San Diego Caas as well as her brother Michael (Vic) Gleissner and her sister Ann (Allan) Nyquist. Deane was buried Oct. 20, 2021, at Resurrection Cemetery in Madison with a private graveside ceremony. A Celebration of Life is planned for Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison. Hors d'oevres, soda, beer and wine will be provided. A cash bar will also be available. Arrangements for the family are being handled by Gunderson Funeral Home. This strong, funny, wonderful wife, mom and grandma leaves behind great memories, chasing our dreams, putting family first, and a ton of pictures. She is sorely missed. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420