KILMARNOCK—Franklin Tirrill “Frank” Birdsall Jr. passed away on October 14, 2023, at Commonwealth Assisted Living in Kilmarnock. He was 93 years old.
Frank was born on June 30, 1930, in New York City, N.Y., the son of the late Franklin Tirrill Birdsall Sr. and Elizabeth Wainwright Voigt Birdsall.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Cynthia; and sister, Ann.
Frank is survived by his five children, Bob (Catherine), Bill, Elizabeth (Mark), Carolyn and Rebecca (Kevin). He has 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
As a teenager Frank successfully campaigned his 16-foot sailboat in races at Hampton yacht clubs on Long Island, N.Y. He went to Choate Preparatory School then attended Hamilton College. Frank answered the call to military duty and joined the U.S Navy. In the Navy, Frank was a lieutenant commander on a destroyer escort that patrolled from Portland to the Aleutian Islands during the Korean war.
Frank loved to be active and was the life of the party. After he left the Navy, Frank purchased a 25-foot sailboat in Sausalito, Calif. With two of his Navy buddies, he sailed down the coast of California and Mexico to the Panama Canal Zone and, lastly, into Miami. While in the Canal Zone, Frank met Cynthia Laura Jaffray, and they fell in love. After his sailing trip was over, Frank went to San Francisco to find a job and sent for Cynthia, Bob and Bill to join him there. Soon after, they married in Sausalito. They lived 12 years in Marin County, Calif., where they started a family.
In 1970, Frank was offered a job with Northwestern Mutual Life in Milwaukee, Wis. They lived in Cedarburg, Wis., where they had owned an old farm house, had horses and many friends. Frank retired in 1991 as a vice president of sales and marketing at Northwestern Mutual Life. They retired to Kilmarnock to live in Frank’s parents’ house on Indian Creek.
Frank and Cynthia were married for 65 years. They were social and loved parties, people, music and dancing. Frank loved sailing, skiing, tennis, the Packers, history, books, writing and had a love for words. At age 86, he won his last sailing race at RRYC in Irvington.
Everywhere he lived, Frank was active in his church, volunteer work and clubs.
Frank and Cynthia will be buried together at Historic Christ Church on Monday, October 30, at noon, with a graveside service. All can attend to say their goodbyes. No flowers please. Donate to either Historic Christ Church or Grace Episcopal Church.
