Franklin "Frank" V Soule Obituary (1946

Franklin "Frank" Soule, 75, Mandan, ND, passed away November 10, 2021, at a Bismarck Hospital. Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 PM, Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the ND Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Military Honors will be conducted by the US Navy and Mandan VFW Post #707. Cremation has taken place. Husband, father, grandfather (Poppa) Frank was born June 30, 1946, in Bismarck ND to Howard and Matilda (Bitz) Soule. He was raised and educated in Bismarck, growing up across the street from Wachter Elementary as one of 7 boys. He served in the US Navy from 1967 to 1969 and will be laid to rest at the ND Veterans Cemetery. He returned to North Dakota after completing his service and met Muriel Miller. They were married on March 29, 1970, in Beulah, ND. They lived in Wahpeton while Frank attended college at the State School of Science, receiving a 2-yr degree in Electronics. They built their home in Mandan in 1974, where they raised two daughters. Frank loved camping, fishing, canoeing, DIY-ing, gardening, and the family spent many summer nights stargazing and satellite watching at their favorite campgrounds. Frank worked for Basin Electric for many years as an energy auditor. The construction of a Barbie doll house for his daughters kicked off a woodworking hobby that evolved into a full-time business: Woodworking Wonders. For many years the family sold their finished and unfinished wood products at craft fairs, Pride of Dakota shows, through sales reps, and at the ND State Fair. He then sold insurance for Prudential and AAL, and later worked for ND Rural Water Systems Association as a Watershed Specialist until his retirement. While working, Frank traveled throughout the state and photographed small town life. He traveled with an inflatable kayak and never passed an opportunity to explore creeks and streams. He had a grand plan to one day kayak the Missouri River from ND to the Gulf of Mexico. Frank loved to work with his hands and enjoyed working with his wood lathe. He turned vases and vintage-style ornaments, whittled, and enjoyed painting on canvas, but his passion was learning and studying college-based courses, sometimes 5 at a time. Grateful to have shared his life are his wife Muriel, daughters Carleen and Andrea, grandson Gavin, granddaughters Malaya and Gemma, brothers Irvin (Annette) Sioux City, IA, Roger (Marion) Inver Grove Heights, MN, Willis (Barbara) Columbia, SC, Loren (Jeannie) Bismarck, Kevin (Christine) Bismarck, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Virgil.