Richard Archibald Froncek
Richard Archibald Froncek
Faith Flag Family
Richard Archibald Froncek, 87, passed peacefully in his home on January 11, 2015. He was born on January 13, 1927 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He joined the United States Marine Corp on February 13, 1943 at the age of 16. He was trained as an airborne radio and radar specialist during the WWII Pacific Campaign. He was stationed in Palau and throughout the Gilbert and the Marshall Islands with the Devil Dogs.
After the war he married Carol Leverenz, began a family and completed his education at Marquette University. Returning to the Corps as an officer, Richard Froncek was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and was commissioned in 1952 as an infantry platoon leader on the DMZ in Korea.
Stateside he served as an officer in charge of drill instructors at Paris Island, South Carolina, at Camp Pendleton, California, and as a Disaster Control Officer in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 1966 in Vietnam he commanded an artillery battalion at Gio Linh where he spent six months underground due to shot and shell. He supported Hue during the Tet Offensive. He retired from military service as a Major in 1967 and moved his family to Arizona.
Following his military career, he worked for fourteen years for the state of Arizona DES Data Network for Human Services participating in the 1980 local census review. A devout Catholic, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He retired to Fountain Hills, then PebbleCreek in Goodyear, Arizona, with his wife Carol. For over a decade they hosted the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball for retirees from the communities surrounding Luke Air Force Base until her passing in 2011. He was also seen at many PebbleCreek veteran functions in full Marine uniform representing the Corps. He had been a member of the PebbleCreek Singers.
He is survived by his six children: Teresa Rankin, Carson City, Nevada, Timothy Froncek, Virginia Froncek, Martin Froncek and Matthew Froncek all from the Phoenix Metro area and Francis Froncek, Houston, Texas, along with nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
Services were held on Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Avondale, Arizona, beginning with a 10:00 a.m. rosary in the vestibule followed at 10:30 a.m. by a Latin Mass. Richard will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Carol. Memorials may be made in his name to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale, Arizona 85392.