Ferenc (Frank) Reiter
August 27, 1937 – July 7, 2014
Frank lived the first 19 years of his life in Budapest, Hungary. He was once imprisoned for weeks for making a political joke while on the bus, and then severely beaten, suffering some hearing loss in one ear. In October 1956 he fought in the Hungarian Uprising where he was imprisoned and when he was about to be shot, his friends broke him out of prison and Frank fled across the border into Austria. He was in a refugee camp for a few months and then in the spring of 1957, he came to Canada. After a couple of short jobs he ended up in Kitimat and started working for Alcan in August 1957. There he worked as a potman, crane operator and mostly as a welder. He retired in 1997 but never gave up welding. People still came to him for his skill with a welding rod. In his spare time he enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping with his family.
Frank was a caring and generous person who always did everything he could for his family. He fought valiantly against his pancreatic cancer and the chemo was working but his kidneys failed. He passed away with his wife by his side. Frank will be missed by his wife of 51 years Nellie, son Frank (Nicole), daughter Heidi (Anthony), grandchildren Alexis and Matthew, and his sister Eva in Hungary.
The family thanks Dr. Van Schalkwyk (Skully) and the nurses (especially Debbie) at Kitimat General Hospital for the good care Frank received. Also thanks go to Roger Wallace, Mary Etta Rypma, and many other good friends and neighbours for their care and support.
Donations to the BC Cancer Agency in Frank’s name would be appreciated. There will be no memorial service.