paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 691
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Post by paintedpaw on Jun 29, 2023 11:54:52 GMT -5
It is with sorrow that Frank's daughter has notified me that he is in hospice and only expected to live a few days. Sadly she has asked me to help write his obituary. If anyone can help me with that it would be greatly appreciated. Frank was a heck of a trapper. Competitor,but friend. He was the only one that Thorpe said he would back up for. He was an engineer by trade and you could always recognize his sets the way they were perfectly squared off.
Al West agwthird@hotmail.com
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 691
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Post by paintedpaw on Jun 29, 2023 11:55:43 GMT -5
P.S. FRANK WALTER
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 691
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Post by paintedpaw on Jun 29, 2023 18:51:34 GMT -5
Sorry to report that Frank passed away this afternoon.
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Post by tony1967 on Jun 29, 2023 19:57:00 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about your friend, my condolences.
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Post by trappermac on Jun 29, 2023 20:54:47 GMT -5
RIP Frank, and condolences to you Al on the loss of a friend and fellow trapper.
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Post by Adirondack-Jim on Jun 29, 2023 21:04:35 GMT -5
Very sorry to hear about Mr. Walter. You mentioned him as an accomplished trapper and I would be interested in any stories you'd care to share.
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 691
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Post by paintedpaw on Jun 30, 2023 8:59:16 GMT -5
Other than Thorpe, Frank was the best trapper I ever knew. Some said he could catch mink where there were none. He did not hunt or fish, but trapping was his passion. Not only could he catch mink, but he was excellent on beaver, otter, and fisher.He once caught an animal near Newcomb that was classified as a wolf, so heavy that he had to drag it out of the woods. I knew Frank for well over 40 years. Think he was suspect of me at first, until one day I called him to tell him he had a live otter in a trap. Frank rode shotgun with Toby Edwards, the FHA pickup person,travelling thru New York and New England, and Canada, making friends with numerous trappers along the way. He and Toby even flew together to the fur sale in Seattle.
Frank was meticulous in putting up his fur. There was none better. When his fur hit the table everyone knew whose it was. An engineer by trade his sets were perfect, squared off, etc. He used to chastise me for my sloppy sets. He was religous in following the fur markets, wanted every penny for his fur. Frank was a member of the Foothills Trappers in Ballston Spa and served as Region 5 south director to the NYS Trappers Assn. Thorpe once told me that the only trapper he would back up for was Frank, he was that good.
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Post by Adirondack-Jim on Jun 30, 2023 13:02:28 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing this with us.
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paintedpaw
Retired NYSDEC Lake George Ranger
Posts: 691
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Post by paintedpaw on Jun 30, 2023 13:02:38 GMT -5
Another quick funny memory: Years ago Frank and Ray Wynn got into an argument about whose tree it was to make a running pole set. Only a trillion trees in the forest. Don't know if it ever got resolved.
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Post by Adirondack-Jim on Jun 30, 2023 18:53:34 GMT -5
Great story, please share more when you think of them.
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