Frank B Chenoweth

Frank B Chenoweth was born in Smithville, Missouri on February 02,1955 to Jane and Jim Chenoweth. After a valiant battle with cancer he passed in his home with his wife Laura by his side on December 12,2023.
 
He was reared on the family farm in Lathrop, Missouri from birth until June of 1969. The family then moved to Pryor Oklahoma where Frank entered the 9th grade. Frank played sports during high school and started for the Pryor Tigers Football team. His senior year he served as Vice-President of his class. After high school Frank attended Oral Roberts University, Oklahoma State University and in 1986 graduated from the University of Texas Arlington with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He then worked at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas for 24 years. 12 of which he was an emergency room nurse. He then moved to the Tulsa area and worked briefly for Ascension St. John Hospital in Tulsa, then moved to the Veterans Home in Claremore, Oklahoma where he retired in 2016.

Frank was very active during his life. He enjoyed collecting, owning and selling several old Chrylser-Mopar cars. Including a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible, several Dodge Darts, a couple of old pickups and a bunch of parts. His real motor love was motorcycles. He owned and operated everything from Harley Davidsons, Hondas, Suzukis, Yamahas, Pentons and motorcycles you probably never heard of. He toured with them, Motor Crossed with them, and competed in Trials Events. He and I tried to count up how many he owned in his life recently and we got to 38. I'm sure we forgot a few. More wheels he owned and cherished were bicycles. At one time I counted 16 Road and Mountain Bikes in his garage. He loved riding them and competed in 6 Iron Man Triathlons around the country and Canada. This did not include the many half marathons he competed in. Or what he told me was his hardest event, The Fireweed 200 from Sheep Mountain Lodge, Alaska to Valdez, Alaska. When I reminded him that he had done several Iron Mans he told me that he had support and aid stations along the way. With his brother, nieces and nephews doing the same race on relay teams there were times he was alone with no one else around. He swore that climbing Thompson Pass he saw a bear and realized that no one was around and he was out of cell service. He finished without any trouble nonetheless. His true passion was fishing. Taught by his Grandfather he fished all his life and had special places he enjoyed either with a friend or by himself. At one time he held the record for the largest Crappie caught in Private Water in the State of Texas. Of course when he came to Alaska he fished and it was always a competition. 

Frank loved animals and had pets all his life. There are many stories of Frank and his "vet" care that he undertook to help a dog or a cat even though they did not belong to him. Frank never had children of his own but considered his nieces and nephews his own. Taught them how to fish, water ski and ride a motorcycle. He participated in their weddings. Becoming a legal officiant to marry his nephew and his wife, being an usher in his niece's wedding while not complaining about wearing a pink tie, and getting our Mother to her granddaughters and his niece’s wedding 1,700 miles away. 

Frank had a big heart and touched a lot of folks during his life. He had a good run. My brother and I will be forever grateful that with his medical expertise he became the caregiver for our parents late in their lives. 

No services are planned. In remembrance of Frank, get outside, go fire up your car and drive it like you stole it, get on your motorcycle on your favorite road, go for swim or run, ride your bike a little farther today, or wet a line in your favorite fishing spot. He would want you to give your pet a big hug today. 

Frank leaves behind his wife, Laura Mitchell of the home, Inola, Oklahoma. Brothers Lane (Janie) of Anchorage, Alaska and Todd, (Michelle) of Bedford, Texas. Many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews that are going to miss their Uncle Frank.