Obituary of Francis Masyada Sr.

Masyada, Sr., Francis George “Frank”, 77, of Largo, Florida passed away at home suddenly, after work, sleeping on his comfortable lounge chair on September 09, 2022.

Born and raised in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, he graduated from Perth Amboy High School and went on to spend time in the U.S. Navy, where he served proudly as a radar technician on the U.S.S. Wasp (CV-18). He used to regale his children and grandchildren of the times his ship would recover capsules from the Gemini program, and would point out the capsule ‘he’ picked up when it was displayed at the Cambridge (MA) Museum of Science. After the Navy, he spent many years as an engineer and inventor in New England and Florida, and actually registered multiple patents, with a focus on thermal cycling.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Stephen and Jean Masyada, also of Perth Amboy (by way of Poland); his ex-wife Marjorie (Presper); and his beautiful wife of more than 30 years, Elaine (Silva). Sadly, his beloved son (with Elaine) Frank, Jr. (Frankie), a survivor of premature birth, childhood cancer, and more health struggles than anyone should have to face, passed in 2018, perhaps a loss Frank never really got over. He is survived by his older brother Donald, of Pennsylvania, and his nephews and nieces James, Marie, and Pamela and their children; his children (with Marjorie) Michelle (Thompson; m. Bill) and Stephen (m. Susie Breitkreutz), and his youngest (with Elaine), his princess, Mary (Mustarde; m. Allan).

We cannot stress enough how much he loved his grandchildren David, James, Zachary, Nevaeh, and Meghan, and his great grandchildren Oliver and Sam. Frank loved his birds (especially his cockatiel Baby, who loves only him!); his big baby of a dog, Chase; his cigars and his Sinatra, and he loved telling stories to anyone who would listen. Books on Churchill and birds filled his home and his office, and he enjoyed researching and thinking about engineering problems his children simply couldn’t understand (but he would talk about them anyway!).

He rests now with his Elaine and his Frankie, the retirement he dreamed of but never got to enjoy. His children and grandchildren and friends and other family miss him so much.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Boston Children’s Hospital, which saved his son Frankie’s life.