Lloyd Robert Frank, age 84, resident of Brainerd, MN passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on January 3rd, 2025 at the St. Cloud Hospital. Per Lloyd’s and Sandy’s wishes, they were cremated and a Celebration of Life for Lloyd and Sandy will be held from 1 PM to 5 PM on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the American Legion in Royalton, MN. Caring for Lloyd and his family is the Shelley Funeral Chapel of Little Falls, MN.
Lloyd was born on May 30, 1940 in Swanville, MN to the late Robert and Marie (Strahl) Frank. He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Sandra (Sandy) Bonebrake on August 15, 1964 at the Baptist Church in Little Falls, MN. Lloyd and Sandy lived in Little Falls, MN until 1967. Lloyd and Sandy then resided in Fort Ripley, MN until they moved to Winona, MN in 1972, where he taught Small Engines at Winona Vocational College. In 1984, Lloyd and Sandy moved to Brainerd, MN where Lloyd worked at Potlach Paper Mill as a Millwright in the Boiler Room until retiring in 2002. Lloyd served in the US Navy for 24 years. He served on the US Saratoga Aircraft Carrier and retired as a Chief Petty Officer in Aviation Support Equipment in 1993. Lloyd and Sandy enjoyed riding their Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, camping, traveling, going to flea markets during the winter months while staying in Texas, spending time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Lloyd and Sandy were extremely proud of their 3 children and their families. Family took priority over everything else. Lloyd enjoyed working in the garage on anything and everything. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix. Lloyd owned several motorcycles and always looked forward to his annual motorcycle trip to Sturgis, SD. He had many friends and zero enemies. He always saw the good in everyone he met. As his kids would say “He was the closest thing to God that you would meet here on Earth.”
Survivors include his three children; Jenny Skappel of Little Falls, MN, Jeffrey Frank and special friend Dawn Rootes-Husted of Fort Ripley, MN, and Jessica (Jamison) Johnson of Sartell, MN; 8 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren; sisters, Evie (Jim) Dingmann of Grand Rapids, MN and Erma Frank of Elk River, MN.
Lloyd was preceded in death by the love of his life, Sandy Frank; parents, Robert and Marie Frank; and son-in-law, Mike Skappel.