Burton Frank

FRANK ROSEN JAFFE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/3/2010 at 18:32:56

Sioux City Journal
28 July 2010

SIOUX CITY -- Burton Frank, 90, of Tamarac, Fla., died Monday, July 26, 2010, following a brief illness.

Services will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Meyer Brothers COlonial Chapel in Sioux City, with A. Frank Baron officiating. Burial will be in Mouht Carmel Cemetery. There will be no visitation.

Burton was born Aug. 14,1919, in St. Paul, Minn., the son of Rose (Jaffe) and Sam Frank. He was one of six children. He attended schools in St. Paul, graduating from Central high School and attending the University of Minnesota before joining the Army. He was a lieutenant in charge of a German P.O.W. camp in Utah.

He married Eleanor Rosen on July 9, 1946, in St. Paul. The couple moved to Aberdeen, S.D., where Burt was first employed by Goodman's News and then at a retail surplus store. In 1951, he established the Main Surplus Store. The store's name was shortened in 1960 to The Main and became one of the leading men's clothing operations in the state until its closing in 2003.

Burton was a very active community member and had many areas of interest. He belonged to Congregation B'nai Isaac, B'rith, the Aberdeen Country Club, Elks, Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Buyers and Jobbers, among many others, and left his mark wherever he went. He was well known for his generosity, donating food and clothing and extending credit to those in need. He was also known in the Aberdeen area for his tennis prowess, frequently humbling much younger, more athletic opponents. Burton was instrumental in improving the tennis courts in Aberdeen with newer surfaces and better facilities. He was an avid coin collector and appraiser, many times appraising collections at the request of banks or private collectors. Silver dollars were his favorite coins and he could be found giving genuine silver dollars to hundreds of children during Crazy Days, his two favorite days of the year. Burton was probably most "famous" for being the "Voice of Crazy Days," hawking merchandise, making public service announcements and having fun on the loud speaker in front of the store.

When Burton retired, he and Eleanor lived in Palm Springs, Calif., and later Sun City, Ariz. After Eleanor's death in 1995, Burt moved to Tamarac, Fla., where he continued to enjoy playing tennis, poker and the stock market. He was also a political junkie, an avid reader of many newspapers and loved sports, especially Minnesota sports. He was so fortunate to have spent the last 10 years with his very special friend, Lillian Kulick.

He is loved and survived by his children, Sandra Baron and her husband Frank of Sioux City, Steven of Aberdeen, and Marjorie Kuperman and her husband Samuel of Iowa City; six grandchildren, Randee Baron Glaser, Deborah Greenberg (Gregory), Benjamin Baron, Matthew Frank (Eva), Ethan Kuperman (Kristin) and Joshua Kuperman; four great-grandchildren, Sarah Eleanor Glaser, Jessica and Alexandra Greenberg, and Eleanor Frank; his special friend of the past 10 years, Lillian Kulick and her son Martin; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends; a brother-in-law, Bob Rosen, and a sister-in-law, Evelyn Balto.

Pallbearers will be his grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to a charity of the donor's choice.