Frank Eugene Wollensack

Frank Eugene Wollensack, 86, of Washington Ave., Hamden, died Sunday, March 19, 2006, surrounded by his beloved wife Helen Weil Mercer Wollensack and loving family at Connecticut Hospice in Branford. Born in New Haven on February 21, 1920, he was the son of the late Clifford and Nellie "Helen" Slocum Wollensack. Frank graduated from Hamden Hall in 1937 and received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Yale University in 1941. Upon graduation, he went to work for Bell Laboratories in New York. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1944 and served as an ensign until 1945. After military service, Frank was employed by the Southern New England Telephone Company, from which he retired as vice president of operations in 1985. Following his retirement from SNET, he was president of Lightnet for three years. Frank was the first president of the Board of Connecticut Hospice, which began the Hospice movement in America. He was a former chairman of the Hamden Town Planning & Zoning Commission. A longtime member of Spring Glen Church, he held many positions including several terms as Moderator. He was active in the operation of his son's Boy Scout troop. Frank served on the reunion committees for his class of 1941 at Yale University. Most recently he was a past president of the condominium association where he resided. Besides his wife, Helen, whom he married November 24, 1990, he is survived by his son Peter Wollensack and his wife Blanca of Lima, missionaries with Peru Outreach, daughters Wendy Schnur of Mystic, Betsy Wollensack of Philadelphia, Martha de Campos and her husband Gilberto of Louisville, Kentucky, and Ellen Wollensack and her husband David Bardaglio of Burlington, VT, and stepson John Mercer of Cody, Wyoming; grandchildren Alden DeBottis of Mystic and Robin Schnur and her husband Peter Finn of Chicago; Jesse, Peter, Charity and Hope Wollensack of Hamden, Amy Wollensack of St. Louis and Rebecca Wollensack of New York; and Ivy and Wynn Bardaglio of Burlington, VT; step-grandchildren Sharina, Keysha and Michael Washington, and a great-grandson, Zachary DeBottis of Mystic. Also left to mourn "Dad" are two American Field Service students welcomed by the Wollensack family, Dilpazir Mirza of Pakistan-now of Canada-and Nancy Andrade of Ecuador, as well as his former daughter-in-law, Dorothy Wollensack. He was predeceased by his first wife, Grace Stannard Wollensack, who died March 29, 1986, and his sister, Marjorie Venzke. Memorial service Wednesday, March 22, at Spring Glen Church, Hamden. Burial will be private. BEECHER & BENNETT 2300 WHITNEY AVE. HAMDEN in care of arrangments. Memorial donations in Frank's name may be made to Spring Glen Church, UCC, 20 Glen Parkway, Hamden, CT 06517, OR Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405, or a charity of the donor's choice.