FRANK GARCIA
Bill, I first met Frankie, as a teenager in NYC. I guess it was thru Harold Stengler and Merv Anderson. They also breed tumblers. Frank O'Brien was also a tumbler friend of mine. He call me "Kid". Funny how at 64 I can remember that and not what I had for breakfast. Frankie was 4 years older then me. He lived in Brooklyn and also raise canaries. He work for Getz Department stores. Joe Auggello( very active with the Ocala club) was his boss. He worked in the pet department. I went to the Lancaster nation in early 60's, with Frankie. He later worked for one of the Hotels in the Catskills for the remainder of his life. He was married twice. He was a great pigeon man. Got very involved with short face tumblers. Don't know time frame. We lost touch from mid 60's when I went to Nam,till the Lancaster Nationals in the 90's.
Hope this helps a little...............
Mark Berkel
Frank was a member of the Western Tumbler Club for many
years, of which I was the President. I also knew Frank through the Eastern
Tumbler Club. I am a member still and Frank was the President of that club.
While I never visited Frank and his wife Audrey's home in Kerhonkson, NY, we did
stay in touch via the Internet. Every couple of weeks Frank would drop me an
e-mail asking how my family was doing and how I was doing with the birds. We
also exchanged phone calls. I figure that Frank must have been bored at night
after the kids went to bed, so he would call to talk pigeons. As it was stated
elsewhere, Frank worked nights for a place like a Dude Ranch for kids. We would
usually see each other in person a couple of times a year at one of the pigeon
shows.
The last few years of his life, Frank was breeding Long Faced, Clean Leg,
Baldhead Tumblers. He had some good ones, but he never really had enough time
to enjoy them before he passed away.
I can still picture Frank in the ETC's Hospitality Room, always running around
trying to make sure that everyone had enough to eat.
Bill, I think that this a good idea to remember those in the pigeon hobby who have passed away. Keep up the good work and let me know if you need help with any other breeders.
Bob
R. L. Fragoman
Memphis, NY