Frank Joseph De Nardo was taken Sept. 12, 2009, on the Yukon River. The only comfort to the family is he was on
the river he loved, doing what he loved -- driving his boat headed to the family hunting camp.

Frank was born in Maywood, Calif., on Nov. 1, 1929, to Giuseppe and Concetta (De Marco) DiNardo. His parents
immigrated from Campolieto, Campobasso, Italy, his father in 1905 and his mother following in 1906, both coming
through Ellis Island. He was the youngest of 10 children all first-generation American-Italian.

His youth was spent taking care of the family's goats, chickens, rabbits and working on his mother's large garden
and many fruit trees. After his father's death the family moved to Hollister, Calif., where he was an altar boy and was
requested for many weddings and funerals. As a teenager he worked with his brothers and cousin on a friend's
walnut farm. They would pick the walnuts during the day and crack them at night by hand. He also played on the
high school football team.

He proudly served his country from 1950 to 1953 enlisting in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, serving in
Panmunjom, Korea, with the 1st Marine Division, 1st Motor Transport Battalion, and was promoted to the rank of
sergeant.

Returning from Korea in 1953, he was stationed in San Francisco; he helped a fellow Marine coming off another
ship trying to find his way around. They became friends; Frank met his friend's sisters, Ann and Pat Sullivan, coming
from Boston to visit their brother, Richard.

He fell in love with Ann, and they were married April 4, 1953. They quickly had three children, David, Patricia and
Thomas.

Following Ann's dream to move to Alaska, Frank and Ann traded their new four-bedroom home in Garden Grove,
Calif., for a 1955 Spartan trailer. In 1959, they started the adventure of his lifetime for the next 50 years.

The family first moved to Anchorage in 1959 where he taught Ann how to shoot. They remained hunting partners for
the rest of Ann's life. They hunted in the early days in the Wrangell Mountains, fishing in Valdez and clamming in
Homer.

The family moved to Fairbanks in 1969 where Ann and Frank started hunting on the Nowitna (Novi) River off the
Yukon. This became the family hunting place for the next 40 years making lifetime friends on the river from Ruby,
Tanana and Galena.

Frank worked in the floor business for about 20 years, installing hardwood floors and laying carpet and vinyl. He
started working at Municipal Utilities System's power plant when he came to Fairbanks and retired as head
electrician about 1988.

Ann passed away in 2003. Two years later, he met the second love of his life, Sharon Story. They were married
Aug. 20, 2005, in Fairbanks.

Frank and Sharon traveled Outside in the wintertime to visit family members and wintered in Mexico sharing a
wonderful life together enjoying the deep love they felt for each other.

Every fall Frank and Sharon made the yearly trip on the Yukon River to the family hunting camp on the Novi. This is
where he felt most at home, more than any other place on Earth, being with his family, wife and friends and helping
other people and passing on his knowledge to his children and grandchildren.

Frank is survived by his wife, Sharon; son, David De Nardo; daughter Patricia and son in-law, Donald Schmidt; and
son, Thomas De Nardo; grandchildren, Neal and Ann Schmidt; stepson, Terry Hayer; stepdaughter, Tammy Stefan
each and husband David Stefan each; grandchildren, Heidi and Tara Hayer; great-grandchildren, Alison and Joey;
many nieces, nephews and other family members to numerous to list.