Glen Paul Frakes

It is with both great sadness and joyful hope that the family of Glen Paul Frakes announces his passing. Glen died while surrounded by his wife and children in the comfort of his home of over thirty years, on Thursday, June 21, 2018, at the age of 71. Glen will be lovingly remembered by his wife and best friend of 43 years, Jean Ann (Potzner) Frakes, his son, Ethan, and his daughter and son-in-law Shannon and Patrick Alley. Glen will also be fondly remembered by his grandsons, "Bean" (Elijah, 5) and "PeeWee" (Asher, 3) as the best Grandpop, wrestling partner, train conductor and story reader on this Earth. They were the loves of his life. Born in Philadelphia, PA, on October 14, 1946 to Paul and Irene Frakes, Glen eventually became the oldest of five and is survived by his four siblings (Shirley, Leslie, Allen and Lauren) and their families. At the age of 17, Glen enlisted in the Marine Corps and served the country that he loved dearly as an aerial photographer and soldier until being honorably discharged after he was shot in the knee while in combat in Vietnam. After returning home Glen eventually ended up back in Pennsylvania to attend college at East Stroudsburg University, where he met his beautiful wife, Jean. Glen achieved a degree in history, and later went on receive his Masters, as well as enough credits to complete a doctorate, however he didn"t want to chicken peck his way through a dissertation, so he settled for the education over the degree. It can be said that education was one of Glen"s biggest and most important achievements in his life, both furthering his own learning through his love of reading, as well as imparting his vast knowledge and love of history to his thousands of students over a 30+ year teaching career. Glen was more than merely a teacher"¦ he was a performer, a storyteller extraordinaire, a champion of reading, a coach, a chaperone and tour guide of student trips to Europe, a librarian, and an artistic creator of beautiful historical battle reenactments. These dioramas, numbering at least in the twenties, each took years and thousands of donated or commissioned dollars to create and are still displayed in museums all over the country. One of his dioramas even toured with the Smithsonian Institute. At the end of his life Glen had no regrets and was at peace, and he expressed to his family that he was "not afraid of dying" because "Jesus is my savior and I know where I"m going" and "I"m excited to see my Grandmom again." Glen"s family and grandchildren were his happiest and proudest achievement, and we will celebrate him accordingly. There will be a memorial service on Thursday, June 28, 2018 from 6-8PM at Falconer Funeral Home in Gilbert, AZ. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 29, 2018 at 10AM at St. Anne"s Catholic Church, followed by a reception at The Falls Event Center, both in Gilbert. Memorial donations can be made in honor of Glen to St. Jude"s Children"s Research Hospital.