Obituary
Mr. Frank Harvey Pillsbury III, 94, a resident of Fort Myers, passed into Glory Thursday, the afternoon of January 19th while in the care of Joanne’s House at Hope Hospice, Imperial Parkway, Bonita Beach, following a recent illness.
Born on Tuesday, February 7, 1928 in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, he was son to the late Franklin Harvey Jr. and Harriet (Tapley) Pillsbury. He was educated in the New Jersey schools.
Following his formal education, Mr. Pillsbury enlisted with the United States Air Force, proudly serving our country during the Second World War. At the time of his Honorable Discharge from military duties on January 11th, 1949, he held the rank of Corporal.
In 1949, he began his professional career in the boating industry. Then, in 1953, he relocated to Texas and in 1959 opened the Frank Pillsbury Marine Sports in Dallas. He remained active in his life’s work until his retirement in 1987. Enjoying the success of his labor, he and his wife built a second home in Crested Butte, Colorado. It was here the couple helped establish the O Be Joyful Christian Church.
Professionally and fraternally, Mr. Pillsbury was a founding father of the Marine Retailer Association of America, and also previously held membership in the Rotary Club of North Dallas, TX.
In his spare time, and being a lover of the outdoors, Mr. Pillsbury was a lifetime boater, enjoyed snow skiing and off-road motorcycling and was previously an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, the former Sue Marie (Gwynn) Pillsbury in 2015.
Left to cherish the wonderful memories they keep of their father are his sons, Franklin Harvey IV and his wife Denise Pillsbury of Fort Myers; William and his wife Laurie Pillsbury of El Paso and Childress David and his wife Lisa Pillsbury of Friendswood, TX; Eleven grandchildren; Nineteen great-grandchildren; former patrons, colleagues and dear friends.
Memorial funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 10th at the Park Cities Presbyterian Church, 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219.
The Naples location of the Baldwin Brothers Funeral and Cremation Society is honored to care for Mr. Pillsbury and his family at this time.
Final resting place along with Sue Pillsbury will be in Crested Butte, Colorado.
To share words of comfort or light a virtual candle in his memory, please feel free to do so on his memorial page.
I enjoyed the conversations we had. I learned so much about this amazing, humble, interesting man.
He was a blessing to many and truly lived an incredible authentic life.
Well done my friend.