Kenneth Dale Frank Ph.D

Ken was born on the family farm near Stanton, Nebraska, on June 12th, 1931, to William and Leona (Siecke) Frank. Upon his high school graduation in 1949 from Stanton High School, he attended railroad communications school. Once completed, he worked for the Union Pacific railroad for 1.5 years.

Ken was proud to have served his country throughout his lifetime. During the Korean War, in January 1952, he enlisted in the Navy and served on Midway Island and in Honolulu, HI. After four years of active duty in the Navy, he joined the Naval reserves. He retired with the rank of Commander in the US Naval Reserves after more than 30 years of military service. In addition, Lt. Col Kenneth Frank proudly retired in 2018 from the Civil Air Patrol after 29 years of service.

After active duty in the Navy, he started college studying agronomy at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). While working on his Bachelor's degree, he met his future wife, Mary Uehling, whom he married in August of 1959. Their children, Stuart and Barbara were born in 1960 and 1962, respectively.

While working on his Master's in Agronomy at UNL, he worked at the Out State Testing Plots, scattered around the state of Nebraska, as part of his education, and to earn money while attending school. After attaining his Master's Degree, he and his young family moved to Ames, IA, where he earned his Doctorate degree in Agronomy in 1968. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Frank joined the University of Nebraska's Agronomy department where his academic and professional career included world travels with his family.

From 1968 to 1970, the family moved to Bogota, Columbia, South America, where he worked on a U.S. AID project helping to develop appropriate soil management practices.

In the summer of 1970, the family returned to the US and moved to Clay Center, NE, where Ken worked at the UNL South Central Research Station, researching fertilizer management on grain varieties, as well as attending many evening meetings with local farmers.

In 1984, Ken and Mary moved to Lincoln, where Ken then worked on UNL’s Morocco project for one and a half years, during which he traveled to Morocco several times.

Shortly after that project, Ken and Mary moved to Liberia, West Africa, to take part in another UNL associated U.S. AID project. Ken again worked with local farmers on good soil management techniques. Ken and Mary stayed in Liberia for 3 years, returning home to Lincoln, NE, where he worked several more years as the head of the Soil Testing Laboratory on the UNL East Campus. Ken retired in 1999 from the University of Nebraska.


Ken really enjoyed people, always willing to talk with friends and family (and strangers too), as well as hosting friends and relatives. He enjoyed playing all types of card games. Ken and Mary played bridge with their many friends, he also enjoyed poker nights with the guys and playing cribbage with family.

In retirement, Ken volunteered at the local library and was an avid reader. He also enjoyed driving the courtesy shuttle for Dillon's car dealership, in Lincoln.

Ken and Mary both enjoyed traveling, which they continued to do for quite a few years into retirement visiting lifelong friends. They also enjoyed traveling to visit their grandchildren, Ellen and William, and seeing their three great-grandchildren, Eleanor, Ida and Kenneth.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mary; son, Dr. Stuart (Mary) Frank; daughter, Barbara Frank; grandchildren, Ellen Croghan (Joe) and William Frank (Marjorie); great-grandchildren, Eleanor Croghan, Ida Croghan, and his namesake, Kenneth Frank; brother-in-law, Mike (Doc) Hansen; sister-in-law, Lowene Uehling; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, William and Leona (Siecke) Frank, his sister, Betty Hansen, and brother-in-law, Homer Uehling.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends, although we are happy with the assurance that his faith in Jesus Christ translates to eternal life in Heaven.

Ken will be interred, with military honors, at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025 at the Omaha National Cemetery, 14250 Schram Road, Omaha, NE.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 19, 2025 Grace Lutheran Church, 11640 A St, Walton, NE with luncheon to follow.

Contributions may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church in Walton, NE or the Alzheimer's Association.

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