Frank C. Whittelsey of Sun Valley, Idaho, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2008, at his vacation home in Vero Beach, Florida, after a heroic 14-year battle with cancer. Frank and his wife, Lynn, owned a vacation home for many years on the Airport Road in Warren. They left The Valley for Idaho about 10 years ago but still retained close ties to their many friends here.
Frank, like many of us, came to the Mad River Valley to ski. I am not sure when he first arrived but I think it was in the middle or late '60s after Sugarbush was established. He was a good skier and a real gentleman of the old school. Sticking my neck out, I would say that two of the people he admired most in The Valley were Holly Ward, captain of the Sugarbush Polo Team, and Hans Estin, founder of Ski Club 10 at Sugarbush; both of these men were accomplished sportsmen with real leadership qualities.
Frank joined the polo club some 20 years ago, but, because of time and distance, he did not have the opportunity to become proficient in this sport. Frank was a traditionalist; he liked things done the right way or the old way. On a horse buying trip to Florida, I nicknamed him F. Scott Whittelsey because I visualized him living in the roaring '20s of the Fitzgerald era.
About 15 years ago, we were fortunate to have Frank join the board of directors of the Mad River Valley Community Fund where he was a generous and compassionate contributor. The fund also benefited from his investment ability.
When I last spoke with him in January he was optimistic that he was holding his own and was looking forward to attending his 50th at Bowdoin College where I graduated from some 10 years before Frank. I am sorry, and I am sure his class is too, that he did not make that trip.
Arthur Williams
Fayston
