Frain Family Tree - Illinois Branch

Frain, Joseph W. and Evelyn Cook

Marriages
Joe's Service in WWII
Joseph W. Frain Final Tributes
Joseph W. Frain Death Certificate
Evelyn Kathleen Cook Frain

Joseph William Frain was the son of Luke Frain and Elizabeth Bird. He was their eighth child and was born on Jan. 9, 1912 in Seatonville, Illinois.

Before Joe was 10 years old he moved with his family to Tovey, Ill. where he attended Tovey Elementary School. He graduated from there in 1927. His eighth grade teacher was Harley Minnis. At the time of his graduation he had two broken arms from trying to jump a picket fence and not making it.

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Marriages

Joe married 3 times. The details of his first marriage are not much known to me at this time. It is believed that both he and his first wife, Katherine, were too young for marriage. She went back home to her family and the marriage was terminated.

Joe's second marriage was to Evelyn Kathleen Cook. They were married on May 14, 1937. He was working for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at the time for a $1.00 per day. They had 3 children; Joseph Richard ('tis himself) born Dec. 30, 1937 and the twins Darlene Grace and Marlene Elizabeth born on April 14, 1939. Joseph Richard's first name was for his dad. The second name, Richard was picked so that he would not be called junior. Marlene's middle name is for her grandmother on her dad's side and Darlene's middle name is for her grandmother on her mother's side. All were born in Carrollton, Illinois.

Joe and Evelyn were divorced on Sept. 25, 1942. They were awarded joint custody of the children.

Joe married his third wife, Louise Huston (nee Lambin) on Dec. 15, 1945 in the Christian County Courthouse in Taylorville, Illinois. The marriage was witnessed by Isadore and Orvaline Massett. Orvaline is Louise's niece.

Louise had one child from her former marriage to Bob Huston, Hattie Louise. Joe knew Bob and Louise from before the war. Joe and Louise settled in Tovey, Illinois with the 4 children.  Click here to learn more about my stepfamily

Joe worked at Peabody Mine #8 in Tovey from Sept. 27, 1928 to April 1, 1932 and from November 20, 1945 to Sept. 17, 1952. He received his 'Certificate of Competency of Coal Miner' from the State Miner's Examining Board on June 13, 1930.

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Joe's Service in WWII

Joe served in the U. S. Army from Nov. 3, 1942 and was separated with an Honorable Discharge on Oct. 9, 1945. His address upon entry to the Army was 104 Pence, East Alton, Ill.

He spent some time at the 411th Army Air Base Squadron, in Alliance, Nebraska and at Sedo??? Air Base in Warrensburg, Missouri. He was a private at both stations.

He was in the China Burma India (CBI) Theater and achieved the rank of Corporal. Decorations and citations included service in the Asiatic Pacific Theater with 2 Bronze Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge and 4 Overseas Bars. His MOS was Chemical Technician 870, however, he spent much of his time driving a truck in convoy on the Burma Road. Joe took many pictures while in the service and used to like to show them and talk about his time in the service.

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Joseph W. Frain Final Tributes

The Breeze-Courier in Taylorville, Monday, December 8, 1975.

JOSEPH W. FRAIN, 63, RESIDENT OF TOVEY FOR MANY YEARS, DIES

Joseph W. Frain, 63, of Tovey, a long-time resident of the Midland area, died at 6:35 o'clock Sunday morning, in St. Vincent Memorial Hospital. He had been in ill health for six months.

Mr. Frain was born at Seatonville, a son of Luke and Elizabeth Bird Frain. He was married on December 15, 1945 in Taylorville, to Louise Lambin. He had been employed by the Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Hopper Papers, for over 20 years and was a member of St. Rita's Catholic Church.

Survivors include his widow; one son Joseph R. Frain of Walnut, Calif; three daughters, Mrs. Fred (Marlene) Willoughby, Sherman; Mrs. Richard (Darlene) Fisher of Mt. Auburn; and Mrs. Earl (Hattie) Warren of Bulpitt; two brothers, Luke Frain of Kincaid and Patrick Frain of Chicago; five sisters, Mrs. Rudolph (Kathryn) Schmelzer, Kincaid; Mrs. Levi (Alice) Dean, South Gate, Calif; Mrs. Vincent (Bernice) Vincent, Chicago; Mrs. Elizabeth Briddick of Joliet; and Mrs. Mary Travis of Creve Coeur; nine grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning in St. Rita's Catholic Church at Kincaid. The Rev. James J. Hughes, parish priest, will officiate. Interment will be in Horse Creek Cemetery at Pawnee.

Friends may call at the Masterson Funeral Home at Kincaid, from 4 until 9 o'clock this afternoon and tonight, where rosary will be said at 8 o'clock.

The Breeze-Courier in Taylorville, Tuesday, December 9, 1975.

FINAL TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH W. FRAIN

Funeral services for Joseph W. Frain of Tovey were held at 10 o'clock this morning, in St. Rita's Catholic Church, Kincaid, with the Rev. James J. Hughes, parish priest, officiating. Burial was in Horse Creek Cem;etery, Pawnee, with Masterson funeral directors in charge.

Pallbearers were David Warren, Gary Warren, Dale Warren, James Lederbrand, Russell Beard, Dennis Masset Sr. and Dennis Masset Jr.

Mr. Frain, 63, an employee of Georgia Pacific Corp., died Sunday morning, in St. Vincent Memorial Hospital. He had been in ill health for some time.

The family of Joe Frain published the following. The masthead is missing, but was probably in the Taylorville Breeze Courier shortly after his funeral.

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to all who assisted in any way during our recent bereavement, the death of our beloved Joseph W. Frain. We especially thank the Rev. Fr. James J. Hughes fo his comforting words, all who sent flowers, spiritual bouquets, food, those who offered the use of cars and those who prepared the meal after the funeral, and everyone at St. Vincent Memorial Hospital.

The family of Joseph W. Frain.

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Joseph W. Frain Death Certificate

JOSEPH WILLIAM FRAIN - DEATH CERTIFICATE

Joe's death certificate confirms the birth date of Jan. 9, 1912. He died at the St. Vincent Memorial Hospital in Taylorville, Ill on Dec. 7, 1975 of Resp. Failure and Atelectasis & Pleural Effusion from Cancer of the Lung - Metastasis. He was employed at the Georgia Pacific Paper Mill in Taylorville at the time of his death. He is buried at Horse Creek Cemetery just north of Pawnee, Ill.

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Evelyn Kathleen Cook Frain

Evelyn Kathleen Cook was born March 31, 1921 in Alton, Illinois. Her father was Joshua 'Thomas' Wright Cook and her mother was Buelah Grace Darr.  Evelyn died February 16, 2001.  Click here on Cook in the left navigation panel to learn more about Evelyn and her family.

Evelyn's father was very strict, didn't allow her to even go see a Shirley Temple movie. She was 15 when he died and she went to live with her sister Violet who was already married at the time. The first dance she went to she met Joe Frain and started dating him. She married Joe and they bought a little house in Carrollton, Illinois.

Evelyn's second marriage was to Major Vetter. They had 2 sons; Barry Vetter born June 27, 1952 at Sampson AFB, Geneva, N.Y. and Michael Vetter born Feb. 2, 1956 at Selfridge AFB, Mt. Clemons, Mich. Linda, Laura and I met Mike (my half brother) and his wife Marge at Kevin (my nephew) and Liz Willoughby's marriage celebration in 1989. Mike is a pilot for Northwest Airlines.  He has, since, re-married to Anne Kinneman on Sep. 20, 1997 in Bellevue, WA.

Evelyn's third marriage was to Joseph 'Bert' Klopfer. They settled down in Bethalto, Ill. From there they moved to East Alton, Ill.

Evelyn Kathleen Cook (Frain, Vetter, Klopfer) died Feb. 16, 2001. Obituary from the local newspaper, masthead not available, and remembrance card follows.  Note that the obituary writer did not mention her first marriage to my father, Joseph William Frain.

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