Frank Edward Lalli August 7, 1942 - October 31, 2016

Frank Edward Lalli passed away Monday, October 31, 2016 at home with his wife by his side. He was 74 years old. Frank was born in his grandparents' home in Sisters on August 7, 1942 to Frank Arther Lalli and Pherne Winkle-Lalli. Frank's father was a logger, so much of his childhood was spent living in logging camps all over Central Oregon. When he was 7, his father passed away, leaving his mother with four small children. At that time, Frank was left with his grandparents, who raised him.

Frank grew up in Sisters and attended school until he graduated in 1960. He immediately joined the Navy. When he came home from boot camp he married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Jean Rowe. The next five years saw him aboard various aircraft carriers, including the USS Enterprise during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He welcomed daughter Sherry Lee on July 9, 1961, and a son, Frank Edward on March 11, 1963. Frank took his family all over the East Coast, living in Norfolk, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; and Patuxent River Naval base in Maryland.

Five years of marriage ended in divorce in 1965. Frank served five more years in the Navy, serving two tours in Viet Nam, where he was awarded two Purple Hearts as a helicopter mechanic and pilot. He achieved the rank of Master Chief before he received an honorable discharge in 1970.

The next years found him driving trucks all over the United States. For a time he lived in the Tri-City area in Washington and Salt Lake City, Utah. He finally ended up in Des Moines, Iowa where he obtained a job with Bridgestone/Firestone at their tire plant, working his way up to quality control manager. In 2005, after 23 years, he retired and returned to Central Oregon. Six months later, he married his first love Shirley again, on December 31, 2005. He found pleasure in helping to care for his mother-in-law. He loved working in the yard, spending countless hours outside. He liked to go camping in their trailer, his favorite place being Belknap Hot Springs.

He was a lifelong Cubs fan, but didn't quite make it to see them win the World Series. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Barbara Lalli; and two brothers, John Lalli and David Ludwig. He leaves his wife, Shirley, and two children - a daughter, Sherry Lee Burke and a son, Frank Edward Miller, both of Bend; seven grandchildren, and four great-granddaughters.

Services will be held Saturday, November 26, 2016 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sisters at 12:00 noon. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of Redmond.