Francis Bernard Corey

FRANCIS (FRANK) BERNARD COREY

March 26,1932-February 16, 2018

Francis (Frank) Bernard Corey passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 16, 2018 at the age of 85 while undergoing cancer surgery in Albuquerque, NM.

Frank was born March 26, 1932 in Niles, Michigan.  Frank is preceded in death by his parents Frank Benjamin Corey in 1967 and Rose (Rosalia) Anne Corey in 1988. He is survived by his sister Mary Catherine Dierschke and brother-in-law Eugene Dierschke, from Dallas, Texas; niece Karen Elizabeth Peer, her husband, Mike Peer, and their kids, Allison, Hailey, Katie, and Justin in Herriman, Utah; and Lisa Diane Dierschke-Stone, and her sons, Ethan and Everett, in Carrollton, Texas.

Frank was born and grew up in Niles, Michigan.  He was born the same month and year as the first Ford V8's were sent to dealers to road test. He drove his Model A Ford, with no heater and no defroster, back and forth to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where he graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree in Electrical Engineering.  Frank joined the Navy and was sent to the White Sands Missile Range in Alamogordo. When he finished his two-year term in the Navy, he stayed in New Mexico and went to work for Sandia Corporation. After that, he became an instructor in automotive electronics at TVI. Since retiring from that, he was always busy working on his cars.

Frank was well-known for his love of 1953 Fords, especially light green fordors, but he also had a great affection for any Ford or Mercury from the 1950's. In 1953, Frank tried to buy a new green 1953 Ford V8 fordor sedan, but the dealers kept trying to sell him a tudor six. As a result, he bought a new 1953 Pontiac. Frank always called that a "Monday morning car" as it had a lot of problems. After a year fighting with the dealer, he sold the car and bought an almost new 1953 green V8 Ford fordor. He bought Ford products ever after.  He welcomed all car enthusiasts to visit his collection. Often he would help out with solving mechanical issues with the old Fords. A couple of Catholic nuns had an old Pinto that had umpteen thousand miles on it; they would call Frank, and he'd get it going again. He worked on cars for many of us and helped with parts; he would frequently "lend" you a part to use until you could buy a replacement elsewhere.

Frank joined the Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club in 1980. He served as Director, Newsletter Editor, Vice President, President and Treasurer of the Tumbleweeds at various times during his membership. He was also a long-standing member of the National Early Ford V8 Club. He participated in many activities, shows and tours, helping with the planning and execution on occasion. Frank was especially helpful in organizing the yearly birthday parties for the club. He presented programs at meetings several times; he was especially good on transmissions and electrics. About 1983, Frank bought the house next door to his good friends', Jim and Joyce Clements, because it had a big garage in the back yard. He rented the house to a family but used the garage for his own cars. When that garage filled up, he built a second garage next to it to house the rest of his collection. Both garages are fully occupied with cars and parts that might be needed some day. At some point in the early 2000's Frank joined the Ford V8 Foundation which had been established to preserve the history of 1932-53 Fords. He donated a 1946 Mercury to their Museum, and it is proudly displayed in Auburn, Indiana, with a tribute to Frank.  Frank also owned two Model A Fords and was a member in good standing of the Poco Quatros Model A Club. He served as representative to the New Mexico Council of Car Clubs and acted as treasurer for that group for a number of years. He volunteered to help out at their car shows, swap meets and other events.

We would like to thank all of the medical professionals that touched our lives when helping with his heart issues as well as during the painful cancer process these last few months.  Frank was a friendly, somewhat opinionated, helpful, smart, and genuine man.  He was a wonderful brother, uncle, cousin, and friend who will be greatly missed.  We are all very lucky that he has touched our lives!

A Memorial Service will be held Friday, February 23, 2018, 3:00 p.m. at FRENCH - Lomas.