Frank Monroe Tanner

Frank Monroe Tanner went home to heaven on February 16, 2020 at age 94. He was born on September 2, 1925 to Frank Lester Tanner and Maude Isabelle Bennett Tanner in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Lakewood High School.

Frank served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Warhawk through the battle of the Leyte Gulf as well as other South Pacific naval battles. He returned to the Port of San Francisco in 1945 where he was reunited with the love of his life and wife, Sue Higley. They were married June 23, 1943, for 76 years. They raised four children.

Frank loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing all of his life. That desire to be in the great outdoors led him into a long career with the Department of Interior in the National Park Service. He worked in Rocky Mountain and Kings Canyon National Parks as a maintenance foreman.

Following his retirement they lived in Montrose during the winter and Gunnison through the summer for the remaining years of his life. Frank continued to enjoy the great outdoors exploring mountain trails on his ATV and fishing until he was called home. Frank was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Sue H. Tanner of Montrose, Colorado. Frank is also survived by four children Teri (Gary) Priddy of Katy, TX; Frank “Brian”(Deborah) Tanner of Westminster, CO; Janne (Roger) Young of Arvada, CO, David (Robin) Tanner of San Diego, CA, 17 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, a sister Barbara Schneringer of Seattle, WA, two nieces and one nephew.

Cremation has taken place and the family had a private memorial service.