Francis Thomas Troskey

1925 - 2017

Francis Thomas Troskey, 92, died peacefully in his sleep at his residence in Boynton Beach, Florida, on August 18, 2017. Visitation will be at Memorial Funeral Home, Columbus, MS, on Thursday, August 24, 2017 between 5:00 and 7:00 PM.  A Mass of the Resurrection will be at Annunciation Catholic Church,  on Friday, August 25, 2017 at 11:00 AM with Father Jeffrey Waldrep , celebrant.  Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery in Columbus. In lieu of flowers,  memorials  may be made to The Dwelling Place, 2851 Dwelling Place Rd, Brooksville, MS 39739; Helping Hands  P.O. Box 1241, Columbus, MS 39703; and Palmer Home for Children, PO Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.
Frank had several careers: as a Navy pilot, a real estate agent, a forester, a forestry consultant, and as a  timber acquisitions manager for Weyerhauser in Columbus. His proudest achievement was the management of the Sumners lease transaction. The E.H. Sumners Endowed Scholarship Fund has since provided scholarships to thousands of college students in five Mississippi counties. Frank's last career, spanning 30 years, was as a forestry consultant in his own business. He retired from active forestry work at the age of 84 and was one of the longest serving members of the Society of American Foresters. He was a Certified Mississippi Tree Farmer and a past President of the Starkville Audubon Society. Frank personally planted the now famous pine tree cross north of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport that is visible from flying airplanes.
When Frank and Esther moved to Columbus, MS for his job with Weyerhauser, they discovered an antebellum home for sale. Since the original four rooms were owned and built by free people of color in 1843, making it one of of the most unique houses in the south, Frank and Esther felt a calling to preserve the house. They named their new home "The Haven", and restoring it became a labor of love for many years, where they lived together happily until Esther's death in 2009. Frank had a full and happy life and will be remembered by many people who appreciated his knowledge, generosity, and story-telling abilities.