Frank H. Zoske

Frank Zoske departed this life in the early hours of August 6, 2023 with his wife Gay at his side. He was born in Rochester, New York to Frank Zoske and Mary Sanderson Zoske and educated in the Rochester public schools. Upon graduating from Jefferson High School in 1943 he entered the Navy V12 program at Columbia University and received his commission as a Naval Ensign in 1945. He arrived at his first ship (USS LCI 163) in in San Diego just as WWII came to an end.  The following year he crossed the Equator off the coast of Ecuador  aboard the USS LSM 460. In 1949 while stationed in Guam with the USS Swenson he was introduced to Denver native Leona (Lee) Davis (born Neisent) on a blind date. They married the following year in Pensacola, Florida .

After more advanced pilot training in Corpus Christi, Frank joined his flight squadron which flew missions over Korea off the carrier Bonhomme Richard while Lee tended daughter Susan in Oak Harbor, Washington.

Frank then served as administrative assistant to the deputy commander Navy of the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Sandia Base, Albuquerque in the 1950s.

Frank then transferred to flying lighter than aircraft,and flew aerial surveillance missions over the Atlantic coast from the airfield at Lakehurst, New Jersey. The birth of daughter Gregg completed the family. His final duty station was at the Naval Air Reserve Training station at Glenview, Illinois during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The family then settled down in Denver and Frank took up his second career in life insurance, beginning as an agent with Aetna Life and retiring as a regional Vice President with Western States Life.

Frank and Lee enjoyed a month-long long tour of Europe before her death in 1992.

During his teens Frank worked at a camp in Keene, New York and fell in love with the Adirondacks. When he met Gracemary (Gay) Greenleaf, she was organizing a hiking group to climb one of Colorado’s 14,000-foott peaks. She had also spent summers at a camp just 12 miles up the road. Their first trip together included a stopover in the Adirondacks.

Frank climbed his first 14er in his late sixties, celebrated his 74th birthday on board the Finnish schooner Helena and crossed the Equator for the second time on the Amazon River. He was on stage with amateur theater groups in New Jersey and Denver,and was an active participant in a local play readers group. His 1965 Cadillac was a familiar sight in the neighborhood.

Frank was predeceased by his parents, his wife Leona Niesent Zoske, and his sister Gloria Roesslein. His wife Gay Greenleaf and daughters Susan and Gregg Zoske (George Hall) survive him.

Funeral will take place at St John’s Cathedral, 1290 Washington St., Denver on Monday, August 28 at 11AM. Burial at Ft Logan National Cemetery at 11AM Tuesday August 29. Assemble at Staging Area C by 10:45 AM.

Memorials to St John’s Cathedral, The Denver Hospice or to charity of choice.

To share memories of Frank and condolences with his family, please sign the online guestbook.