Loman "Frank" Aydelotte

Loman Franklin “Frank” Aydelotte passed away at age 84 on April 17, 2021.  Frank was the son of Carl E. and Gladys L. Aydelotte.  He has one surviving sibling, Paula Farmer of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  His sister Eudora and brother Carl have preceded him in death.  Lubbock, Texas was his birthplace, but he grew up in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, raised by loving parents, playing baseball, and roaming outdoors with his horse. As a young man, he went to work as a cowboy in New Mexico where he learned leatherwork and even tried his hand at bull riding in the rodeo.  He eventually joined the Navy Reserves where he managed to get a concussion falling off the wing of a Vought F4U Corsair. He then joined the Marine Corps where he served as a Topographic Surveyor.  While in the Marines, Frank joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which changed the course of his life.   Although his sister Eudora was concerned about his joining the Church, his father figured any church would do him some good.  Once out of the Marines, Frank left for Brigham Young University. There Nola Jean Barrus, the most beautiful girl on campus, turned his head.  In demonstration of how smooth the Aydelotte men are, Nola and Frank’s first date involved a Marine-style march up to and immediately down from the “Y” above BYU campus- no rest breaks.  After the date Nola said, “He’s a nice guy, but he’s not my type”.  Frank chased Nola until she caught him.  They took the $100 his sister Eudora sent to help with his schooling and bought an engagement ring. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1960. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in History and Political Science.  They moved to Norman, Oklahoma to pursue a degree in Intellectual History and were also blessed by the arrival of their first son, Bryan. Tragically, Frank’s PhD advisor died in an accident, ending the prospect of obtaining that degree.  After a brief stint in the Seminary Department of the Church in Bountiful, Utah, Nola and Frank returned to Norman, Oklahoma where Frank studied Library Sciences and the stork deposited their second son, David.  The little family moved to Lawrence, Kansas where Frank took the job of reference librarian at the University of Kansas.  There he served in the Bishopric (a leader in his church congregation).  James, Michael, and Carey joined the family in Lawrence. Frank also took a job at the University of Kansas Endowment Association.  Good memories in Lawrence include eating Marathon candy bars at Allen Fieldhouse watching KU basketball games (go Jayhawks!).  Frank accepted a position at Barton County Community College as Executive Director of Development in Great Bend, Kansas in the early ‘80s.  Brady joined the family in Great Bend. Frank served as the Branch President of the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Many kittens, snakes, horned toads, frogs, mice, loaves of homemade wheat bread, one Bradley GT, one flood and one bad back (Nola) later, the family moved to Orem, Utah.  Frank took a position with the Boy Scouts of America, Utah National Parks Council as the Director of Development where he did fundraising.  In 2005, Frank retired from the Boy Scouts and suits.  In a development shocking to his children, Frank started wearing denim jeans, boots, and cowboy hats - returning to good memories of younger days.  He took up leatherworking making mostly holsters and belts. In 2013, Frank had a stroke and in 2014 was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  During the ensuing years, he battled these health concerns. Always at his side, his angel wife Nola took such good care of him.  They moved to Idaho in 2015 and lived across the street from Bryan.  The COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was isolating for Frank and Nola, but also a time of spiritual growth as Frank and Nola read and studied the scriptures together.  In March of 2021, Frank was given a terminal cancer diagnosis.  This became a time of tender care and expressions of love between Frank and Nola.  Never one to talk much about himself, Frank would deflect questions about his health, preferring to talk about his grandchildren.  Frank and Nola have 26 grandchildren. Frank wore his suit, white shirt, tie, and dress shoes for the last time at the baby blessing of his newest grandchild, Anson Franklin, which was held at Bryan’s house in April.  The day of Frank’s passing, family had gathered to do some work at Nola and Frank’s house.  Although weak, Frank did not pass away in pain for which the family is very grateful.  Frank regularly remarked how wonderful his daughter’s in law were.  They are Susan (married to Bryan), Shannon (David), Nancy (James), Nanette (Michael), Tristyn (Brady).  Frank loved the art and literature of the American West.  He shared his love of art and peanut M&Ms with his favorite daughter Carey.  He enjoyed fly-fishing and upland game bird hunting and settling in with a good book.  He loved horses and his dogs.  Above all he loved his wife and children and grandchildren and was a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ.