Frank P. Agius

May 5, 1925-May 17, 2003

Frank P. Agius, 78, of 548 Dodge Drive, Alpena, passed away in Alpena, on Saturday, May 17, 2003. He braved Alzheimer’s disease for several years in a quiet manner without complaint.

Frank was born in Detroit on May 6, 1925 and had 8 siblings. He worked construction jobs across the country before returning to Detroit, where he met and wed Barbara Noah on September 17, 1955. The pair moved to Alpena, Michigan soon after. Frank spent many years operating a cabinet shop and a few years later began doing locksmith work. He was a multi-talented person and at that time began inventing and manufacturing key cutting machines for the locksmith industry. Frank also began teaching in the field and always had time to help out anyone with their questions and problems. He traveled world wide in his business, which is now operated by his family.

Frank particularly enjoyed his family, duck hunting, his bowling team, hockey, traveling and woodcarving. He was always grateful for his opportunities, friends, accomplishments, and happy with his life. Some of Frank’s dearest memories were of the many children he coached in both hockey and baseball. He had a wonderful spirit of adventure that took him canoeing on the Abitibi River for two months at the age of 18, to homesteading in Alaska & hopping trains across the country. 

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, daughter Ann (John McConnell), two sons, Michael (Norma) and Phil (Pam), grandchildren Andrew, Carrie, Taylor and Mitchell, and son-at-heart Milt Clark (Colleen). Also surviving are two sisters, Beatrice Bielskis and Mary Ann Tylenda, both of Alpena, and three brothers, Vincent of Rogers City, James (June) of Bridgeport and Theodore (Barbara) of Atlanta, GA.

The above write-up was dad's obituary for the Alpena News. I would like to add that he really enjoyed meeting all of the locksmiths in classes and at trade shows. I think anyone who met dad always felt that he had time to answer questions and wanted to help out whenever he could. Some of his fondest memories were the years he traveled the country with Bill Reed, Steve Young, Hank Spicer, Mike Miller, Gerry Finch, Jerry McNickle, Gale Johnson, and Greg Mango, among others (I know I'm forgetting a few of you...sorry!). Other good friends dad always admired were Wiggy Jensen, Tom Swiderek, Bill Serbeck, Darrell Sims, and John Reed. 

Thanks to the thousands of you who attended dad's classes or stopped by to say hi at the trade show booths. To say he enjoyed your friendship and associations is an understatement. Thanks for being a part of dad's life. He will be lovingly missed by his family.