Position:
Biology Faculty
Francis Dominic Vilmain, 81, born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, May 4, 1923, died peacefully at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 24, 2005. After a long and healthy life, Frank suffered his final years with Alzheimer's. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leon and Josephine, who immigrated from France in 1902. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Ruth Ellen Lewright. Frank was the youngest of eight children with three brothers and three sisters preceding him in death, and is survived by his brother, Richard, and his brother's wife, Wilma, of Eagle Grove.
Frank also is survived by his eight children: Suzanne and her husband, Steve Smith, Jean and her husband, Pat Caffrey, Steve and his fiancée, Shannon Traczyk, Mike, Judy and her husband, David Barrett, Teresa, Jim and his wife Lory Hart, and David and his wife, Emily; eleven grandchildren, Jeremy, Martin, Toby, Caleb, James and his wife, Candace, Jessica and her husband Mike, Ryan, Dominic, Megan, Joe, and Elliott; three great-grandchildren, Christian, Chandler, and Olivia; and many nieces and nephews.
Frank served in the U. S. Navy in World War II and was educated at Iowa State University, Iowa State Teachers College, University of Wyoming, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He taught physics at Rodman High School in Rodman, Iowa, and West High School in Waterloo, Iowa, and for twenty-three years at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he was honored as Teacher of the Year in 1987.
He was a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, Knights of Columbus, and Lions Club. After retiring in 1988, Frank and Ruth moved from Cedar Falls to Lake Viking in Missouri. Five years ago they moved to Santa Fe to be near family. Frank was a parishioner at St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe.
He introduced the first computer to UNI in the late 1960s, and the first Internet server for the university was named "Frank" in his honor. He loved gardening, electronics, and restoring early radios, but what he valued most was conversation with his family, his students, and his many friends. He was a rare father, friend, mentor, and teacher. He led a simple and straightforward life filled with curiosity, and he practiced a personal philosophy of "God is love and it doesn't hurt to be kind."
The family would like to thank his wonderful caregivers--his angels of mercy--Tommy Archuleta, Dolores Grobe, Monica Padilla, Richard Perez, and his hospice nurse, Cathy Downs. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a memorial in his name: Frank Vilmain Memorial Fund, c/o University of Northern Iowa, 205 Commons, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614.
Services were March 29 at St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe with Monsignor Jerome Martinez y Alire presiding. Internment was in National Cemetery.
Copyright Waterloo Courier, April 5, 2005, Page A8.