Frank Arellano

Words are woefully inadequate to capture the dynamic and colorful life of Francisco/Frankie/Frank Arellano, born on 12 June 1928 on Fries Avenue in Wilmington to Jose Arellano and Leonora Hernandez, both immigrants from Mexico. He leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Hiroe Arellano, several children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As a child dad had seared on to his brain the lessons of the Great Depression. Staying out of debt and conserving resources, which made it possible for him to thrive during boom and lean times. As a teen dad felt the brisk winds of discontent that led to World War II, a chaotic time of dynamic growth in this region. Farms and dairies where dad worked as a child, disappeared and factories were erected that contributed mightily to victory in Europe and the Pacific. Post World War II brought lean economic times to this region that had been a center of war production. By 1948 dad had become an "A man" in the ILWU. Yet, economic prospects in that decade were dim when compared to what an "A" book yields today on the waterfront. Dad enlisted and found-himself serving in the United States Far East Air Force under General Douglas MacArthur, where he was a radio operator and gunner, seeing heavy action in the Korean War. Dad returned home to Wilmington with his Japanese war bride. After three decades as a member of ILWU Local 26, dad became a member of ILWU Local 13. On 11 October 1989, dad suffered an injury on the job that ended his career on the waterfront. Almost exactly 33 years later, dad made his final exit, where he died at 9:28 a.m. on Thursday, 13 October 2022 at home in Wilmington.