SYLVESTER, Frank E.

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Friday, June 18, 2010 Frank E. Sylvester, 86, departed "to that great big golf course in the sky" on Thursday, April 15, 2010, surrounded by his family at home in Novato, Calif. He was born to Frank and Clara Sylvester, and raised in Williams, Ariz., with his brother Clarence. He graduated from Northern Arizona University (then known as Arizona State College) in Flagstaff, served with the Army Air Corps in Europe in WWII as a B-24 bomber pilot, then flew B-29s for the U.S. Air Force, when recalled in the Korean War. Frank remained in close touch with his WWII bomb group and enjoyed many reunions with his crewmembers. His distinguished career with the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior spanned over 37 years, beginning as a seasonal fire control aide, then as a ranger in Grand Canyon National Park. He was promoted through the ranks in three national parks and a national monument, and had an assignment as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior in Washington, D.C. He was superintendent of Lassen National Park prior to serving 15 years as the first regional director of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation's Pacific Southwest Region. After retiring in 1979, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Interior for his significant contributions as an outstanding conservationist and manager with the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. Frank met his wife Georgia when he was a ranger at the Grand Canyon and, following a 2-1/2 month courtship, honeymooned for 56 years, until her death in 2002. After retirement, Prescott, Ariz., was home for over 23 years where he golfed, traveled and spent time with family and friends. He will be remembered for his generosity, impeccable integrity, goodness, captivating stories and the loving twinkle in his eyes. He is survived by daughters Linda Downey and Leslie Vaughn; grandchildren Megan Pomponio, Ryan Downey, Grant Vaughn and Kelly Vaughn; and great-granddaughters Mia and Ava Pomponio. Information provided by survivors.