Francis Saladin

Francis Neville Frank Saladin, 97, of Great Falls, a retired electrical engineer, passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2012 of natural causes at a local nursing home.At Franks request, no services are planned.Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schnider Funeral Home. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Frank was born on January 27, 1915, in Colusa, CA, to Harry and Neville Blanch Saladin.Frank attended Colusa Union High School and graduated in 1933.He graduated from California Polytechnic School in 1937 as an electrical engineer.In August of 1941, Frank joined the Army Air Corps and after completing several schools became a 2nd Lieutenant and a pilot.Frank was transferred to Alabama where he met and married Claire Elizabeth Schwalm, an Army nurse, on December 26, 1941.Franks military career was principally spent as a bomber flight instructor.He logged over 1200 hours flying time in B-17s and over 700 hours flying time in B-29s as an instructor.He separated from the Army Air Corps as a Major in 1947.The Saladin family moved to San Francisco, CA following separation from the service and Frank went to work for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. in 1947.Frank retired from P.T. & T. as a senior power engineer after 30 years of service in 1977.His retirement years were spent in Mexico and Arizona. Claire Saladin passed away May 26, 1985.Frank married Veronica Wynne in 1992 and Veronica Saladin passed away August 10, 2006.Frank possessed amazing mechanical and electrical skills.He was always working around cars.He repaired and restored many autos.He could repair almost any appliance or mechanical device, which always kept him in great demand amongst friends and neighbors.He was always available to help fix or repair almost anything if asked.He was also an inventor.He created an invertible potters wheel to assist him in his pottery endeavors.Frank was in his element when he was tinkering with anything mechanical or electrical.Frank is survived by his daughters, Cheryl (Tom) Grau of Great Falls, Suzanne (Dave) Bircheff of Hemet, CA, Jane Saladin of Santa Cruz, CA and a step daughter, Patricia Nichols (Nick) of Phoenix, AZ; a half-sister, Trudy Miller of Colusa, CA; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com.