Frank F. Schmale, 87, died Monday, January 30, 2017. He was born May 26, 1929 in Garden City, Kansas the son of Frank Fredrick Schmale, Sr. and Matilda (Kunz) Schmale.
Frank attended Garfield Elementary school and graduated from Garden City High School in 1947. He completed his education with instruction in electronics attending vocational technical schools in Chicago, Illinois and Valparaiso, Indiana.
Frank Schmale married Marilyn Lucas of Satanta, Kansas on April 21, 1954. Together they had 4 children; Rikki, Robyn, Rhonda, and Frank Wayne.
In 1950, Frank started his own electronic service business, Mobile Electronics. In 1961, he, along with his brother-in-law Carl Bonebrake and Dick Leopold as partners, started a television picture tube rebuilding plant, producing over 17,000 tubes.
In 1970, when retail electronic products were added to the business, the name changed to Team Electronics. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Frank started services in mobile telephone and paging, background music, satellite television, and 2-way radio communication, as well as managing several rental properties.
By 1980, with the help of his daughter, Rikki, he placed computers in many southwest Kansas homes and schools. With his son, Frank W., the first Voice Mail service was begun in 1995. By 1996, Frank W. was managing the family business and Frank F. Schmale was semi-retired. After 64 years in business, Frank joined Marilyn at home in 2014.
From 1981 to 1987, Frank was a city commissioner and served as mayor in 1982. Among the many boards and committees Frank served on are those of his church, St. James Lutheran, which was founded under the leadership of his father.
In addition to his wife, Marilyn, Frank is survived by daughter Rikki and husband Randy Rueb of St. Francis, Robyn and husband Bill Bider of Topeka, Rhonda and husband Steve Stone of Garden City, Frank W. and wife Cheryl Schmale of Garden City; one sister, Isabel Bonebrake of Garden City; 7 Grandchildren, Megan and husband Brian Wehkamp of Garden City, Marci and husband Kevin Flax of Ellis, Kali and husband John Adams of Silver Lake, Brandon Rueb of Topeka, Lucas Bider of Kansas City, Carly Schmale and Jada Schmale both of Mission, Kansas; and 4 great-grandchildren, Derek and Ty Flax of Ellis, Hayden Wehkamp of Garden City, and Brielle Adams of Silver Lake, as well as man nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a brother Albert Schmale and 6 sisters Helen Schmale, Roberta Schmale, Lydia Schmale, Edna Mae Lanam, Ruth “Pia” Maupin, and Dorothy Schmale.
Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2017 at St. James Lutheran Church in Garden City with Teri Sutherlin presiding. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City. Additional calling hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Thursday all at the funeral home. The family request memorials given to St. James Lutheran Church or to St. Catherine Hospice both in care of the funeral home.