Loved dancing, listening to music and traveling
MELROSE — Francis Carl Okerholm, affectionately known as ‘Frank O’ and ‘Okey’, passed away on June 5 at the age of 80 in Stoneham following a brief illness with PSP. Frank was born on December 8, 1942 in Revere to his parents John Robert and Gabrielle (Thibault) Okerholm.
Frank was a graduate of Malden Catholic High School class of 1960. Frank’s hobbies were the ham radio, tracking the weather and 50’s music. After graduating high school, he enrolled in Electrical Engineering courses at Northeastern University. He later transferred to an intensive course in programming languages at the Automation Institute where he launched his lively and varied career as an independent software engineer and senior mainframe programmer.
In 1967, Frank married Georgia Cutulle. They raised three children together. He was a devoted husband and loving father who enjoyed coaching his son John Paul’s baseball teams. Later in life, Frank enjoyed spending time in Naples, Florida with his late partner Patricia Cummings. He would often be found on the tennis court, playing with anyone who would join him. He was very social and would entertain his friends and family with his “embellished” stories of the past. He loved dancing, listening to music and traveling, even if just a car ride.
Frank is survived by his three children: Michelle Mail and her husband Robert; Cynthia Barchard; and John Paul Okerholm; his former wife, Georgia Okerholm; his siblings: Eileen Shireman and her late husband Hank; and Robert Okerholm and his wife Johanna; his grandchildren: Victoria Mail; Matthew Mail; Simon Barchard; Sophia Barchard; and Audrey Barchard; his nieces: Andrea Okerholm and Pamela Okerholm and their families; and many cousins, family members and friends.
Frank’s loved ones gathered to celebrate his life and legacy at Boston Cremation in Malden on Friday June 16 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. May his soul rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing to all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to CurePSP (www.curepsp.org) in his memory.
