Frank Stewart Player, our beloved Brother, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great- Grandfather, Uncle and Friend, passed away at his home in the early hours of Sunday, January 29th, 2023 at the age of 80.
Stewart was born on Tuesday, September 22, 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Evelyn Grace Fletcher and Frank Gowan Player. He was the second of two children. Stewart grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from West High School in 1960. Stewart then attended Columbia University in New York on full scholarship where he studied Civil Engineering. While at Columbia, Stewart enjoyed attending musicals, basking in the sun, ordering records from The Columbia LP club, working at The New York Times, meeting his future wife (which he didn’t realize at that time) and pretty much anything else as long as it wasn’t studying.
Later, Stewart returned home to Salt Lake to continue his education at The University of Utah receiving his BS Degree in Accounting. During this time, he reunited with Gisela when she invited him to a party and soon, they began dating. A month after graduating college, Stewart and Gisela were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on Tuesday, September 2, 1969. They found a nice apartment in the Avenues while he worked as an Accountant. While in Salt Lake, their son Gregory was born. Later, work took them to California where their daughter Andrea was born. They then spent the next 34 years raising their family in California. Stewart retired from The Federal Government in the summer of 2008, and they moved back to Utah to enjoy their retirement near Andrea and her family.
Stewart was passionate for all genres of music. He had quite the collection of LP’s and CD’s that he enjoyed listening to regularly. He loved puzzles, board games, sudoku, solitaire and brain games. He also loved all sports. This was how he bonded with his kids. He loved to watch them play sports growing up and then enjoyed cheering on his grandkids in their sports. He was very much an eternal child. He loved the holidays and decorating for them. He made sure his front window was full of lights. Maybe hoping his beloved wife would see them from Heaven. He loved legos, erector sets, model trains and pinball machines. He liked to spoil his grandkids with the things he loved in hopes they too would love them the same. Stewart made sure he was always well dressed when leaving the house. He was also very particular about his yard and loved to talk long walks. Stewart loved his wife very much and was very supportive of her and all of her hobbies. The last 22 months of his life were very difficult and lonely for him without his wife by his side.
Stewart spent 59 years as a Type 1 Diabetic and dealing with its side effects. He was very grateful to his wife who helped keep him alive all of those years. Prior to moving back to Utah, he was preparing for dialysis as his kidneys were failing. A year after moving to Utah, he received a living donor kidney. That kidney gave Stewart another 13 1/2 years of life and priceless time with his family.
Stewart is survived by his sister Linda DeSimone (Vince) of Park City Utah, step-mother Phyllis Player of Holladay, son Gregory S. (Monica) of Boise Idaho, daughter Andrea Oldham (LaVar) of Sandy Utah, 8 grandchildren- Leigh (Joe), Todd (Claire), Erika, Grant, Trent, Kirsten, Clark, and Rose and 2 great-grandchildren- Kirk and Evelyn. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51+ years, Gisela, both of his parents and a half-brother Dave.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, February 11th from 10-11am at Cannon Mortuary at 2460 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights. The funeral services will immediately follow the viewing from 11-12. Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
priceless time with his family.
Stewart is survived by his sister Linda DeSimone (Vince) of Park City Utah, step-mother Phyllis Player of Holladay, son Gregory S. (Monica) of Boise Idaho, daughter Andrea Oldham (LaVar) of Sandy Utah, 8 grandchildren- Leigh (Joe), Todd (Claire), Erika, Grant, Trent, Kirsten, Clark, and Rose and 2 great-grandchildren- Kirk and Eleanor. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51+ years, Gisela, both of his parents and a half brother Dave.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, February 11th from 10-11am at Cannon Mortuary at 2460 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights. The funeral services will immediately follow the viewing from 11-12. Internment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Saturday, February 11, 2023
10:00 - 10:45 am (Mountain time)
Cannon Mortuary
Saturday, February 11, 2023
11:00am - 12:00 pm (Mountain time)
Cannon Mortuary
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