Frank E. Babiasz, Sr. U.S. Army (Ret.) passed away on Saturday July 16, 2022 in The Villages, FL.
A native of New Jersey, Frank was born December 4, 1947 to Francis Adam Babiasz and Mary Buchnovics and was a member of the first graduating class of John F. Kennedy Memorial High School (1965) in Iselin, NJ. Having married the love of his life, the former Christine Reynolds, in 1967, he joined the Army in 1969, completed Officer Candidate School, and proudly served his country as a combat helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. His twenty-one years in the Army had him working as part of the U.S. aviation and intelligence communities and took him around the world, including assignments in the Middle East. He never lost his amazement at having had opportunities to meet idols such as Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf. Military honors and recognitions included receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Senior Army Aviator and Expert Badges, and Meritorious Service Medal.
Frank and Chris retired to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1991 to enjoy life without cold weather. They loved to travel, with trip highlights including the Panama Canal, the Egyptian Pyramids, Bethlehem on the West Bank, and the Terracotta Army in China. Frank was a long-time Rolling Stones fan and saw them in concert four times. His love of cars, especially fast ones, was shared with his brother, and there were few years in his adult life in which he didn’t own at least one Corvette. He was a fan of conservative politics and would debate current events with anyone.
Frank is survived by his wife, Chris; children, Tracy and Francis; brother, Joseph and his wife, Nancy; and his sister, Eileen and husband, John; and many nieces and nephews. A mass will be said in his memory at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in The Villages, and a burial will take place at Bay Pines National Cemetery in St. Petersburg, FL on a future date.
