Francis Lincoln Gadwa

February 12, 1920 – August 28, 2020

On August 28, 2020, six months after his 100th birthday, our dad Frank Gadwa passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was a loving husband, father, grandpa and great-grandpa. Growing up with him we were taught through his example, to “just keep going”.

He was born on February 12, 1920 in Austin, MN. The adventure that was his life started in 1927 when his family traveled across country for two weeks on the Lincoln Highway, which ran from Chicago to Seattle in a 1924 Oakland sedan. 46 flat tires later, they eventually settled in Cosmopolis, WA. For his entire life, dad enjoyed learning new things and about people’s lives that were different from his own. During his 100 yrs., his life took him through many experiences and challenges. As a student at Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen, WA, rather than participating in sports, dad worked in President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corp (created to pull America out of the Great Depression) in Quinault, WA. During his time in that program, he actively participated in forest preservation, the improvement of state park camps, and was intimately involved in the building of a mess hall in their camp in the Olympia area. After graduation in 1938, he wanted to enlist in the Navy but was rejected because he was colorblind. So instead, dad accepted an apprenticeship for carpenters, joiners and cabinetmakers to earn his journeyman’s ticket. A year later he accepted a sheet metal apprenticeship and was happily working in all those disciplines. 

Then 1941 WWII came along and he enlisted in the Army Air Corps where he began his air mechanics and flight engineering training. This was followed by air gunnery school. His final destination was in the European theatre in Horham, UK. He was the flight engineer and top turret gunner on a B-17, a member of the 8th Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, 334th Squadron. His plane was fondly named the “Hell-n-Back”. He completed 15 missions before his plane was shot down in August of 1943 and he was captured by German forces. He spent 18 months in a German POW camp in Krems, Austria. As an enterprising man, he offered his fellow POWs 40 shaves for $5.00, payable when they got out. He ended up collecting $265.00! He also built a crystal radio, but it was discovered and was ordered to stand for 10 hours in snow up to his thighs. Because of this he suffered severe nerve damage to his legs from frostbite though remarkably, he did not lose any limbs. In the spring of 1945 the war was ending and dad’s POW group was started on a forced 300 mile march west from Austria to France. Dad said that if anyone fell behind they would be shot, a good incentive to “just keep going”! After one month they were released into the care of U.S. Allies. In the course of that march 1500 of the original 4200 POWs were lost. Dad mustered out of his military service in July of 1945 as a Master Sargent. Our family has the original diary dad kept on the 300 mile march. It has been transcribed and you can read it at www.stalag17b.com/forced_march.html 

He returned to Cosmopolis on July 4, 1945 and eventually resumed his carpentry and sheet metal work. He met and married mom, Signe Erickson, in 1946 and just this past June, they celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary. He was hired onto the Aberdeen Fire Dept. in 1947 where he worked until the firetruck he was riding on crashed while enroute to a fire. Dad’s right arm was badly damaged and consequently he could no longer perform the jobs of a firefighter. He was medically retired from the fire dept. Having to make another life change, he enrolled at Grays Harbor College on the GI Bill. By 1953, armed with a Master’s Degree in Industrial Arts and an Administrative Credential in Education, dad accepted his first teaching job in Marysville, WA. During his 31 years in the district, he was the principle at both Shoultes and Pinewood Elementary Schools. He retired from the Marysville School District in 1983 where he is remembered fondly for the impact his intelligence, kindness, humor and compassion had on so many co-workers, students and families.

Dad used his carpentry skills on every house he owned as well as those of his kids and grandkids. Their one story retirement house was expanded so he and mom could host our many large family gatherings. His beach house in Illahee, WA grew from a one room cabin to a sprawling two story retreat used by all the family. It was at that beach that he helped us hone our clam digging skills. As another interest, he was a gentleman farmer, experimenting with varieties of apples and raspberries. He was also a self-taught harmonica player and played regularly with a group of friends. 

During his retirement, dad was an active volunteer in fundraising for the Kiwanis and the American Legion organizations. He was the Commander of the Everett chapter of the American Ex-POW group, organizing fundraising events and contributing to legislative policies that help Ex- POW/MIA service personnel and their families. As part of his veteran activities he and fellow Ex-POWs also decorated a local park in Everett, WA with a holiday greeting and lights. His work with St. Vincent de Paul helped local families with monetary needs as well as food and clothing. 

Dad loved bringing the joy of Christmas to his neighborhood where he would decorate his yard with up to 60,000 sparkling, twinkling lights. He would get up early in the morning to turn the lights on for the kids walking to school so “they would have a happy start to their day”. 

Altogether, dad was an advocate for working together, with purpose, to build something good for everyone. He knew adversity in a way that most of us never will. When asked how he managed to persevere…on the forced march, after the devastating accident…he said I told myself “just keep going”. Good words of advice for all of us. He leaves behind Signe, his wife of 74 yrs., his four children and spouses Lois (Gordon), Sue (Steve), Ron (Mary), and Patty (Jack), 6 grandkids and 12 great-grandkids. 

Dad will be greatly missed but kept alive in memory because of who he was and all he did for our family, his friends and those whose lives he touched. He would like to be remembered for the help he gave people using his hands, heart, mind and pocketbook and I think he achieved that goal. To honor him, do something kind every day for someone else. In doing so, maybe you will remember him and say to yourself, “I once knew a great man and his name was Frank Gadwa”. 1920-2020. 

Due to Covid-19, the funeral and graveside celebrations of his life will be for family only. For those who want to pay their last respects, we are having a viewing on Tuesday, Sept. 8th from 1-5 at Schafer-Shipman in Marysville, WA. 

In keeping with his lifelong commitment to providing help for at risk youths, should anyone want to make a donation in his name, they can be mailed to The Cocoon House, 3530 Colby Ave, Everett, WA. 98201.

Obituary from dignity memorial.com