Francis X. Crepeau

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Former Montana resident and Air Force veteran Francis X. "Frank" Crepeau, 74, of Brooklyn, N.Y., a retired journalist, died of complications from a stroke Oct. 11 in Brooklyn.
Services have taken place in Brooklyn.
He is survived by his wife, Anne; a son, Alexandre and wife Blanche, and grandchildren Natasha and Nicolas, who all reside in Brooklyn; sisters Sylvia of Chester and Leslie (Harley) of Great Falls; and a brother, Jim (Sherry) of Arlee.
Frank was born Aug. 7, 1932, in Seattle, to Francis X. and Zetta (Wiggins) Crepeau. His father passed away when he was a young boy, and Zetta married Leslie M. Crepeau. They raised him in Simms, where he graduated from high school. He enlisted in the Air Force, and upon his discharge, he attended Montana State University, where he received his degree in journalism. During the summers, he began his reporting career with the Great Falls Leader.
While attending the University of Wisconsin in Madison, he met Anne Fiedler. They were married Aug. 27, 1959.
Frank's career with The Associated Press began in 1960 in Madison, then took him to Boston and New York City, before he was assigned abroad. He reported from Frankfurt, Moscow and Tel Aviv before returning to New York City as the assistant editor on the AP's foreign desk. He retired in 2001.
Frank is remembered for his integrity and insight. He mentored many young reporters beginning their careers as foreign correspondents. Frank was modest about his achievements, which included interviewing Alexander Solzhenitsyn in 1974, when he was stripped of his Nobel Prize and expelled from Russia. Frank also reported from Jerusalem in 1976 when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was the first Arab leader to visit a Jewish state in the historic peace overture.
Frank will always be remembered for his wry humor and kindness.
Condolences may be sent online to greatfallstribune.com/obituaries.