Wenatchee World Newspaper, May 17, 2005
Frank Merle Telford, 79, of East Wenatchee and a longtime businessman of Wenatchee, died Friday morning, May 13, 2005, at Central Washington Hospital following a brief illness. He was born November 18, 1925, to Ernest Richard and Christena Victoria (Hogman) Telford, pioneer, Opheim, Montana residents. He received his education in Opheim. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 27, 1944, and served in the 393rd Infantry Regiment in Germany in the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded in action in 1944, in Belgium and was taken as a prisoner of war in December of 1944. He was liberated at the end of W.W.II and transferred to Camp Lucky Strike in France. He received his honorable discharge on Dec. 3, 1945, being awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the W.W.II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, with 3 Bronze Service Stars award. Frank then reunited with his parents and siblings in Leavenworth, WA residing at Plain. He and his brother, Ernest “Bud” Telford logged for the Buster Herman Sawmill near Coles Corner for 6 months, prior to moving to Wenatchee in 1946. Frank joined the Army National Guard of Wenatchee in 1947, serving for three years. Frank was married to USNR Seaman First Class Rae Marie Moe on July 18, 1948, in Wenatchee, where they made their home. They had been married 45 years at the time of her death in 1993.
Frank worked in various occupations, including Insurance as a life underwriter for Northwestern Life Insurance before becoming a real estate broker, then opening his own office, “Telford Realty” and later worked as a real estate agent retiring in 1993. Frank is a Past President of the Wenatchee Board of Realtors. A highlight of Frank’s retirement years was a personal invitation to attend the opening ceremonies of the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas in 1997. He had made a lighted wooden flag for President George Bush Sr. that had been accepted for display in the Library. This project and Frank’s personal invitation to the opening made the front page of the Wenatchee World. Frank’s 4 daughters, Sharlee, Leslie, Lynn & Laurie, his brother, Jim and sister-in-law, Corinne Telford all attended with him.
Retirement years were enjoyed by raising roses, working in his vegetable garden and providing tomatoes for the whole family and many friends. Frank also enjoyed cooking for friends and family, playing Gin Rummy with his brothers and sisters, fishing with friends and enjoying the many activities of his grandchildren. Frank’s love for his country and patriotism was strong, unwavering and unquestionable. He proudly displayed a collection of American Eagles and always flew his flag with pride. With great pleasure, he saw that same patriotism and love of country passed down to his children and grandchildren. Frank’s generous and loving way overflowed from family to organizations he enjoyed – The Wenatchee Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity, V.F.W. Post 3617 and American Legion Post 10, Community Concert Association and Music Theatre of Wenatchee.
He is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Leslie Telford-Jensen & husband, Les of East Wenatchee, Lynn Telford-Zenk & husband, Frank, Brier, WA and Laurie Telford-Larson & husband, Shawn of Wenatchee; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, E.R. “Bud” Telford of Puyallup, Jim and Corinne Telford of Wenatchee and Don and Judi Telford of East Wenatchee; four sisters and one brother-in-law, Hazel Hawken, Marilyn Crollard, Marlys Parsons and Delta and Ken Wood all of East Wenatchee; grandchildren, Brent Porterfield (wife: Erica), Kiley Zenk & Kacie Zenk both of Brier, WA, Brynn Larson-MacKenzie, Shaye Larson & Tye Larson all of Wenatchee, Adam Chapman of Seattle, John Chapman of Las Vegas, NV, Todd Jensen & Lesley Jensen both of Los Angeles, CA, Kim Jensen, Bellingham and great grandchildren, Jaxson Porterfield & Quinton Porterfield, Haidin MacKenzie & Denae MacKenzie all of Wenatchee. Frank was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Rae Marie Telford on Oct. 18, 1993; four sisters and one brother, Maynard Johnson, Vivian Anderson, Floy Shawlee, Joanne Telford in infancy, and Kenneth Telford.
Commemoration services will be held Thursday, May 19, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. at Telford’s Chapel of the Valley with the Rev. Kel Groseclose officiating. The services will conclude at the Chapel, with military honors by V.F.W. Post 3617. Donations may be made in his name to the East Wenatchee VFW Post 3617 Building fund. Arrangements are by Telford’s Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
Wenatchee World Newspaper - Nov. 7, 1997
WENATCHEE — Frank Telford shook hands with former President George Bush at Thursday's dedication of the Bush Library and Museum in Texas, but he didn't get to kiss former First Lady Barbara.
“It was a good dedication. Each president spoke and some of their wives. We sat about 12 rows back from the podium, dead center,” Telford said late Thursday in a telephone interview from College Station, Texas.
Telford is a retired Wenatchee real estate agent, lifelong Republican and is the same age as Bush, 72. He built a wooden U.S. flag for Bush after he left the White House in 1993. The flag is on display in the museum and is why Telford was among 40,000 people invited to the dedication.
Before going, Telford quipped that he hoped to meet Bush but would rather kiss Barbara. He called her a “grand lady.”
Thursday, Telford and his friend, Arlene Jones of East Wenatchee, saw the Bushes, Clintons, Fords, Carters and Nancy Reagan during the morning ceremony. It was after lunch that they met Bush inside the museum.
Telford said invited guests were allowed inside, 900 at a time. Bush was mingling, greeting and signing autographs.
“I said, ‘Frank Telford' and he said, ‘Hi, Frank' and signed my program,” Telford said. “I got a pretty good picture of him signing Arlene's program.”
The rest of Telford's group, his four daughters and his brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Corrine Telford of Wenatchee, couldn't get into the museum until today. They watched the dedication ceremony in a crowd about 1,000 feet from the podium.
“We were in an area called public viewing outside two rows of chain link fence with stationed guards about every 20 feet,” said daughter Leslie Telford-Jensen of East Wenatchee.
“We had a good view from the side, but we couldn't see faces without binoculars,” she said. “Security was very tight. There were guys on roofs.”
