Paul Dollard Franck

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter – silvered wings . . .

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

HIGH FLIGHT by John Gillespie Magee, RCAF

The youngest of 12, Paul was born in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, his Father, Jean, a CPR engineer; his Mother, Alexina (Chenard), a gifted, accomplished pianist and music teacher. At 2, his Family moved to Montreal;  at  6, when his Father retired, they moved to Tobin, across from Basque Isle, near St. Lawrence River.  Even with 10 doting sisters, Paul’s parents insured that he was not an indulged, spoiled child.  He learned to do his chores well, having the special responsibility of the family’s menagerie (a sheep, 2 ducks, 2 dogs and a cat).  He also dutifully practiced and studied  his piano.  Paul found school boring and frustrating as he was impatient  and anxious to explore the world.  On his own at 15, Paul found his first job with a local lumber mill piling rough hewn lumber.  Following his brother Emmanuel’s example Paul also enlisted in the army at age fifteen.  Well into his training, he was honourably discharged and advised to re-enlist at 16.  Fortunately the war ended before he was eligible to serve.  Because of his intense curiosity and meticulous nature, Paul was a man of many professional accomplishments; concert pianist and composer; stunt plane pilot; clinical psychologist skilled in hypnosis; business machine repairman, including manual typewriters; skilled master Dry Cleaner and  consultant; member of NICAP, investigating UFO phenomena, biblical scholar, writer, author of published book: THE ALIEN EXPONENT, about the mysterious origins, identity and mission of Jesus Christ.  After graduating with a certificate of honour in clinical psychology, majoring in hypnosis therapy, Paul practised in Ottawa for over 2 years, until complaints from local MD’s forced him to close his successful practise.  This experience gave him the insight to refute much of the Freudian versions of hypnosis, resulting in a simpler more reasonable theory of hypnosis and its varied ability to affect behaviour.  Next, with the most rudimentary training, Paul began a new career in servicing and repairing office machines, (including manual typewriters) throughout Canada, from Parliament Hill, to obscure northern locations, as demand dictated.  However, with the dawn of electric machines, word processors and computers, work for Paul’s skills soon diminished.  Once again, Paul found himself walking through Opportunity’s revolving door.  Having worked as a dry cleaner in Welland, Ontario, a  sign in a window caught his eye: “Dry cleaner wanted, will train” and led Paul to an 8 year run at Mackintosh Professional Drycleaners in Kitchener, Ontario, one of the largest establishments of its kind in Canada.  In the mid 80’s Paul masterfully managed Roth’s Lacombe dry cleaning plant, while Yvette’s expertise as a Tailor kept our repair shop busy.  Under the careful and demanding tutelage of his Mother, Paul learned the rudiments of composition and harmony.  He had a genius for improvising on the piano.  After leaving home, Paul continued his studies, completing with honours his basic music training.  Hired to entertain on matinee radio in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Paul played the classics, as well as his own unique compositions.  As confidence, practice and demand allowed, Paul attempted the Concert Hall circuit.  However, the Jazz era was in full swing and soon eroded the general public interest in classical music; Paul’s music was relegated to studio and salon work.  While employed as a business machines technician in BC, Paul was caught in the Nelson Hotel fire and forced to hang from a window sill for most of an hour before being rescued.  Paul claims that his powerful piano hands and fingers saved his life.  Nevertheless, this excruciating exertion impaired his dexterity enough that he had to forego any public performance.  Sublimating performance by composition, Paul has a legacy of only 28 works.  His perfectionist nature and high standards demanded he destroy the other 30 works as unfit for public consumption.  In the fire, he also lost most of his early library, studies, writings and irreplaceable photos.  Returning to Kitchener, Ontario with his first wife Lorraine and their two boys, Ivan and Byron, Paul worked at Mackintosh Professional Drycleaners.  He and Lorraine bought an acreage in Wainfleet; demolished the existing house and buildings and built a new home with the aid of a master shipbuilder.  Finishing work was completed by Lorraine’s Father from Edmonton, Alberta, during an extended holiday.  In order to pay the mortgage, they grew gerkins under contract; Lorraine also worked as a bank clerk. After 18 years of marriage, Paul and Lorraine parted ways.  Paul blames himself for their failed marriage.  As a member of NICAP, the itinerant life style investigating UFO phenomena, appealed to Paul, the more so, as he realized a possible explanation for Christ’s origin and identity.  In Paul’s marriage to Yvette, he found his soul mate.  Yvette’s remarkable, insightful, “Bergsonian” mind and inspiration, motivated Paul to finally write and publish, THE ALIEN EXPONENT.  He did so after his painful and arduous recovery from Yvette’s untimely demise in 1991, age 54, of cancer.  In his book, Paul meticulously parses the Gospels in light of the latest and most credible UFO evidence to deduce a stunning theory of Christ’s origin, identity and mission.  Always motivated to expose misinformation, a trait his sister Eleanor called contrariness, which she attributed to a head injury he sustained , age 4, when a vehicle struck him crossing a street in Montreal, Paul joined the fluoridation debate begun in the 1950’s.  Paul’s unrelenting opposition was based firmly on his thorough investigation of the scientific research and its compelling conclusions.  Unfortunately, most Dentists, MD’s and Medical Officers of Health, ignored the science in the wake of industrial pressure and the complicity of governments.  Ahead of his time, fluoridation now, is widely discredited and being discontinued steadily around the world.  Paul was also an exceptionally responsible driver and retained his driver’s licence to the very end.  Paul drove defensively, avoiding many accidents and, never at fault in any accident in which he was involved.  Paul learned to fly during his early music earning days and became an avid stunt pilot, doing local performances in exchange for gratis flying time.  Everyone’s favourite story involves the one illegal, though not dangerous flying incident, when he and a Friend flew their favourite Fleet 80, 2 passenger plane under the Rainbow Bridge near Niagara Falls.  Someone reported the incident and Paul’s licence was suspended for four days.  When Paul moved in with the Roth’s he bought a Yamaha electric piano.  We delighted in his frequent, impromptu recitals, reverberating throughout our household.  One could discern Paul’s physical and emotional well being from his improvisional spells.  As his health began to fail over the summer, his performances became less frequent, shorter and moody – a foreboding omen of imminent demise. He last “tinkered” on the piano 7 days before he passed on, to the great delight of the Hospice staff who heard him play. Paul was a teetotaller and non-smoker.  He was very knowledgeable in medical matters of anatomy, physiology, diet and physical culture.  With careful, personal management he extended his life at least 10 years, in spite of the bladder cancer that inevitably ravaged his once robust body.  Paul spent the last 23 days of his life in the professional and comforting care of the Red Deer Hospice.  The first week we found him somewhat confused and irritated, as his pain management protocol was being adjusted to mitigate his discomfort.  As it did, he relaxed, making his final peace with Family and Friends.   To honour his 85^th Birthday, 13 year old volunteer, Jaala played her harp.  This gift from the heart gave peace and joy to everyone that Sunday afternoon.  Upon introducing herself, Paul remarked with surprise, “You’re so young!”  Eleven days later, as the sun was setting in glorious western style, Paul slipped this mortal coil quietly, to the peaceful lyrical sounds of another volunteer’s harp recital – and to the surprise of the 2 compassionate Hospice caregivers, who had grown very fond of him.  In addition to his Family and many good Friends and acquaintances, Paul leaves to mourn their great loss, his dear Friends, Michael and Geri Roth, whose home he shared the past 6 years.  Predeceased by his beloved Yvette, Paul is survived by his children Ivan and Byron Franck.  Ivan, wife Carol and daughter Kathryn, serving a church mission, Seoul, South Korea, while Jonathan, an apprentice carpenter,  Jordan and Kaelynne attending college, all live in Southern Ontario.  Byron is a custom cabinet installer in Calgary.  Surviving as well are Yvette’s children; Danny Kautzman (Wanda), granddaughters Natasha and Nikita, Wendy (Ron Stephansson) all of Red Deer; Anthony and Randy Kautzman of Calgary; Karen (Donald Emburgh), Port Colborne, Ontario.  As well, in Quebec, nieces and nephews who kept in touch: Martin and Lorraine Simard, Paul Andre Franck and especially his niece Margaret Franck (Jean Yves Damboise) of Riviere Trois Pistoles.  A very hardy, Bur Oak, whose dark green leaves turn rusty in Autumn, will be planted in Paul’s honour, in the Memorial Garden, on the west side of the Red Deer Hospice.  We love and miss you Paul.  We cherish your music, writings and our precious memories.  Donations in Paul’s memory may be made to The Lending Cupboard, or Red Deer Hospice Society.

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