Frank D. Steidl

Frank Steidl Obituary
Frank Steidl, of Cuyahoga Falls, passed away peacefully after a sudden, unexpected illness on June 24, 2024, at the age of 97. Frank moved to Akron in 1950 from east central Illinois, after graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in chemistry.
During World War II, Frank served in the US Navy as a Seaman 2nd class, assigned to the USS Canfield. When the war ended, he served on a Landing Ship Medium in the China Sea area, where they searched for unexploded land mines.
After his military service and college graduation, Frank arrived by bus in downtown Akron. With suitcase in hand, he must have looked a bit bewildered. A friendly police officer noticed and drove him to a nearby hotel and gave him walking directions to the BF Goodrich company so he could report for his first day on the job the following morning.
Frank continued to work for BF Goodrich for the next 35 years as a rubber chemist. He was a section and technical manager and senior development associate in industrial products in rubber compounding. He had a strong work ethic and was not worried about who got credit for things - just wanted to get the job done and done well. After leaving BF Goodrich, Frank also did private, technical consulting work until his full retirement.
Professional accomplishments are not what Frank would want to be remembered for.
To Frank, providing for his family and raising his children was what was most important to him and what he considered his greatest life achievement. He was a devoted husband and married to Lorraine for 67 years, until her death four years ago.
Frank was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish where, for decades he served as an usher greeting and seating parishioners for the parish's 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass. For many years he volunteered as an AARP Tax preparer. He also volunteered with the Friends of the Cuyahoga Falls Library and assisted with their annual book sale. After retirement, he learned and became quite proficient in recaning chairs. He enjoyed the many opportunities that he and his wife had to travel nationally and internationally. Frank instilled a love for nature in his children with picnics and hikes in Virginia Kendall Park, which is now a part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. At least once a year - everyone piled into the family station wagon - and Frank would take the family to the Cleveland Stadium - especially on days when there was a double header or a bat give-away. Frank was a Cleveland Indians, now Guardians, fan and attended the final game of the 1997 World Series when Cleveland lost to the Florida Marlins. He enjoyed college basketball, and was a rabid fan of the University of Illinois basketball watching every televised game and waiting since 1915 for another national championship. Until recently, he enjoyed working in his yard and garden.
Frank had a kind smile, a calm presence, and conducted his life with integrity. He was grateful and content. From time to time, Frank would remark that life is often just filled with "dumb luck." For example, had he completed naval training sooner, it is likely he would have been on the torpedoed USS Indianapolis, which resulted in the death of over 850 sailors. As life unfolded, he became even more grateful that life had offered him so many opportunities to create a full, satisfying life. This sense of gratitude increased his own empathy for others who have fallen on hard times. In the final week of his life, he was faced with the decision of whether to pursue medical treatment for his newly discovered heart condition. He declined. Instead, he chose hospice care, saying "I've lived a good life." His graceful, dignified decision served as an example of embracing the gifts of courage and acceptance. He died peacefully several days later.
Frank will be missed by his children Tom, Paul, Joan, Nancy, Mike, and Ed; 6 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; his brother Walt; and many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place, and a private internment will take place at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park in Cuyahoga Falls. If people would like to make a donation in Frank's memory, the family would suggest Haven of Rest Ministries in Akron, Ohio, the Akron Food Bank, or to the Father McIntyre fund at Immaculate Heart of Mary, or to a charity of your choice, or simply do something nice and serve others as he did throughout his life.
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