Frank Neumann passed away on the 7th of November 2024 at the age of 83 after a very short and unexpected admission to St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, WA.
Frank was born on June 5, 1941 in East Germany. When he was14, Frank and his mother escaped to West Germany to join his father and two sisters, Frank on his bike and his mother by train. He completed his education in West Germany, becoming a Mechanical Engineer. In his early 20s he and his new bride came to the Northwest with his eyes on the vast opportunities to be outdoors and to utilize his degree. He became an Advanced Chief Design Engineer for Boeing and was proud to have his name on the patent for the F21 Fighter Jet. Despite a very successful career, Frank didn’t let work get in the way of his real passion, being outside.
Frank was a highly accomplished outdoorsman and the longevity of his activity was enviable. He skied, hiked, sailed, and biked until the very last days of his life. His skiing resume was vast having skied both alpine and backcountry terrain almost anywhere it could be found. He was on the ski patrol at Alpental for over 20 years but when asked what his favorite ski area was he said, “You couldn’t beat Crystal on a good snow day.” He was also an accomplished mountaineer having climbed his last mountain at the age of 75. He scaled many mountains including Rainier, and his biggest accomplishment, The Matterhorn. Frank’s love of nature wasn’t exclusive to mountains, he was quoted saying, “The northwest is the only place you could ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon. He was an expert sailor and belonged to Sailing Clubs in Seattle and Olympia. In fact, Saturday before his admission to the hospital, he was trimming the mainsail on the winning boat. He also loved to kayak and built two kayaks in his life, the last one made of cedar strip. He painted beautiful watercolors and traveled the world starting from his early adult years and throughout his life. Those who knew him, knew Frank as a curious and adventurous man with a generous and artistic spirit.
He is survived by his two sisters, two sons, two granddaughters, and his adventure partner, Lynda.