Frank J. Gondek, World War II veteran Staff Sergeant, age 90, died on April 13, 2009 at Hillsborough County Nursing Home in Goffstown, NH due to failing health. Frank was born in Carthage, New York on March 4, 1919, son of the late Anthony and Catherine (Golda) Gondek. Frank was a long time resident of Nashua, NH before moving to Fox Den Retirement Community in Sandown, NH.
Drafted into the service on December 21, 1942. He served with the Fifth Air Force in the South Pacific for two years and four months with the 43rd bomb group, the 40th Fighter Squadron and with the 63rd Air Service Group. He was involved in five campaigns: New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Northern Solomon Islands, the Southern Philippines, and the Philippine Islands. He was with the Occupation Force that entered Japan immediately after Japan’s surrender to prepare the area for the main Occupation Force led by General McArthur. In 1938, Frank went to work for the St. Regis Paper Company in Herrings, New York. In 1955, he was promoted to paper mill superintendent. In 1959, he was transferred to East Pepperell, MA, where he assumed the position of production manager at the St. Regis Paper Company specialty Kraft Plant. He retired after thirty-three years with St. Regis. In 1971, he went to work for International Paper Box Machine Company of Nashua until his final retirement in 1990. He was an avid sports enthusiast and a big fan of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics.
He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Bernice B. (Storms) Gondek of Nashua, a son, Ronald Gondek and daughter-in-law Barbara of Londonderry, NH; a son, Thomas Gondek and his wife Sally of Naples, Florida; a grandson, T.J. Gondek of Boston; a granddaughter, Wendy Martinez and a great grandson, Noah Martinez, of West Roxbury, MA survive him. Two sisters Evelyn Miles and Millie Thomas in upper New York State, and several nieces and nephews also survive him. Brothers, John, Peter, and Benjamin predeceased him.
Calling hours were held from 9:00am to 10:00am on Thursday April 16, 2009 in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, NH. Funeral services followed at 10:00am in the funeral home. Burial with honors was held at the NH Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, NH on Thursday at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Fox Den Retirement Community at 208 North Road, Sandown, NH 03873. Attention: Steve Patterson.