OREGON, USA — Few can boast of a passion for their home state as deep and long-lasting as the late Gerry Frank’s love of Oregon!
When Gerry Frank passed away on March 13, Oregon lost a true treasure, not only a mentor to politicians and businessmen alike but a kindhearted cheerleader for all things Oregon.
I cherish my time and friendship with Gerry, the man many called “Mr. Oregon” because more than anything else, Gerry Frank loved discovering new places and meeting everyday people.
He was one of Oregon’s first citizens and he enjoyed traveling the back roads and byways searching for new adventures to share with his readers.
Several years ago, I joined Gerry Frank, a man who got a kick out of helping us make the right connections with our home state, at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria to visit about his latest writing project, that he insisted was an homage to his home state and titled “Gerry Frank’s Oregon!”
“The book is all about stores, restaurants and hotels and varied statewide attractions,” said Frank. “It is also full of interesting lore about various communities, places for kids to go and all of that stuff.”
The sort of “stuff” that was Frank’s bread ‘n butter in his Sunday Oregonian travel column and his varied radio and TV reports through the decades.
He never knew the meaning of "taking a break" as Oregon’s unofficial travel ambassador and owned an unmatched knowledge of Oregon that was always fresh, engaging, and honest!
He was an Oregon man for all seasons whose roots reached back four generations. Gerry was linked by birth and profession to the famed ‘Meier and Frank’ family retail business.
Gerry insisted that it was his 26 years on Sen. Mark Hatfield’s staff that really “put him in touch” with the people and places of Oregon: “We hit every nook and cranny in the state and I got to know Oregon very well,” he said with a smile.
So, you should not be surprised to learn that some of Gerry’s favorite places to visit are Oregon’s unchanged and timeless regions.
“Oh, I love to drive along the southern Oregon coast that stretches from Bandon to Gold Beach. It is my favorite part of the state for the uniqueness of the geography, the natural beauty and so many friendly people. There’s nothing in the world like that.”
Or the Rogue River jet boat rides: “The ride is all about whitewater thrills! It offers magnificent scenery, but it’s fun because you get wet and it’s even more fun because of the wildlife opportunities there.”
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And closer at hand, his favorite Cascade Mountain parkland: Silver Falls State Park: “When you walk under the waterfall there – it’s a gorgeous part of the state and a lot of people don’t even know it exists.”
Gerry saw them all: the mainstays and the out of the way places that intrigue all of us.
One summer, our paths met in the produce aisle at E-Z Orchards near Salem. It’s a family-owned farm-market that’s been in business for more than a century.
“People come from all over to E.Z. Orchards,” Gerrry explained. “They know that this is a place that offers the freshest food. We’re really lucky! We’re in eating heaven here in Oregon country.”
Gerry Frank’s knowledge of Oregon’s people and places was surpassed only by his appetite for locally grown products like the fresh corn and peaches he enjoyed at E-Z Orchards.
Gerry Frank was also a self-proclaimed “choc-a-holic” and he was the sole judge of the chocolate cakes competition at the Oregon State Fair for more than 50 years.
One of my favorite Gerry Frank meetings was at his long-ago family estate in the Columbia River Gorge called Menucha. Built by his great uncle, Julius Meier, who owned the famed Meier and Frank stores and was governor of the state in 1930. “Menucha” is a Hebrew word for “still waters.”
Gerry recalled his boyhood adventures traipsing across the landscape and especially chilly dips in the pool: “Oh, a gorgeous view but that water was so ice cold cuz there was no heat whatsoever in that pool. It was no fun to come out here to swim.”
He was giddy as a schoolkid when he led a short stroll thru the master bedroom and he let us in on a family secret: Governor Julius Meier had a hidden one way glass – in his bath:
“You look right over there into the main sitting room and he could say, ‘Oh, Joe is here. I don’t want to see him. Just tell him that I’m not around.’ He’d close the door – finish shaving – that’s it.”
One time, I asked Gerry the secret to his youth. His snappy reply was right on: “Travel!”
“I think you stay young and healthy if you keep this [brain] going. I’m a big believer that of all the inviting qualities that Oregon has to offer – from stunning scenery, rich and varied foods and exciting recreation. Above it all, it’s the spirit of the place – embodied by our citizens that sets Oregon apart.”
Gerry Frank’s legacy will put you in touch with Oregon’s people, places and endless adventures. He will be missed.
Be sure to follow my Oregon adventures via the new Grant’s Getaways Podcast: Each segment is a story-telling session where I relate behind the scenes stories from four decades of travel and television reporting.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including:
"Grants Getaways I," Photography by Steve Terrill
"Grant's Getaways II," Photography by Steve Terrill
“Grant’s Getaways: 101 Oregon Adventures,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
“Grant’s Getaways: Guide to Wildlife Watching in Oregon,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
“Grant’s Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
The collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
My next book, “Grant’s Getaways: Another 101 Oregon Adventures” will be published in November.