Benalla’s own: Francis (Frank) Gordon Saunders (January 17, 1934 - October 19, 2021).
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Contributed
On October 19 the Rose City lost one of its most popular long-term residents.
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Francis (Frank) Gordon Saunders was born on January 17, 1934 at Rossmore Hospital, Benalla, to Doris (Dorrie) and John (Jack) Saunders of Woodpark, Goorambat.
One of Frank’s earliest memories was sitting on his mother’s knee while she played the organ at Sam’s Hut Methodist Church.
He went to Goorambat state school with his older brothers, Keith, Les, and Alan, and would tag along with them.
He then attended Benalla High School and he taught his sister Lois how to fish, whilst Reg, her twin brother, stayed at home.
Frank left school and went on to work on the family farm.
Community minded: Frank and his wife Marie with former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack at Benalla Station in March 2021.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Later he worked at the Happy Valley Dam for the State Electricity Commission, and with Victorian Railways on three separate occasions.
Frank met Marie Wallace in February 1966, and they were married in May of that year at Yarraville Baptist Church.
They went back to the farm to allow his parents to have their first overseas trip.
For more than 40 years Frank attended Goorambat Methodist/Uniting Church, then the Rose City Church.
In the last five years he has enjoyed fellowship and friendship in a number of churches.
Frank read daily and remembered much of what he read. He had many hobbies – collecting coins, collecting and finding gemstones, fishing, gardening, giving people vegetables from his garden.
He had special pleasure in the flowers in his front garden, and also enjoyed singing, travelling, reading, history and exploring local historical places, especially seeking out old school and church sites.
Frank’s great joy was to be able to be baptised in the Jordan River.
He loved the Lord Jesus, and sought to serve Him. Frank passed to the Lord on October 19, 2021, and is survived by his loving wife Marie and extended family and friends.
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