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| About Frank Tyger - By His Family and Friends |
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| Charlotte and Bob
Tyger (Brother and Sister-in-law) Yardville, NJ |
Frank is a special
human being. He is a "people" person who cares deeply about all people, both the
ones he's met and the ones he doesn't know but still has helped in any way he could, both
personally and through his weekly newspaper columns. You will not find anyone who is more
gentlemanly and polite than Frank. He possesses a great curiosity about everything, asking
probing questions only because he really wants to know the Who, What, When, Where and Why
of whatever or whomever he is seeking information about. Frank has the ability to make
friends with anyone of any age or background wherever he happens to find them. Seldom (if
ever) has an unkind word been uttered by him. When he smiles his smile lights up his
entire face and you can't help smiling along with him. In addition to his artistic and
writing talents, he loves to sing and was gifted with a beautiful voice. One of our favorite quotes that Frank wrote, "The kind of person I most want to be is a kind person," really describes him to a "T." |
| Michael Tyger (Nephew) Trenton, NJ |
Frank is a great
person. Some might say that is unfair for me to say because he is my Uncle and I'm not
objective, but I think the statement holds true despite any familial favoritism. As a child, Uncle Frank was a playmate, teacher, life-coach, and my number one fan. He was never too tired or too busy to play catch, go to the fair, take you to a movie, the theatre, or a sporting event, or to come to watch your concert, ball game, or graduation ceremony. He seemed to know everyone, and everyone knew him. Each day was an adventure which he approached with a positive spirit, can-do attitude and contagious zeal. I always marveled at this man of ideas, with his ever-present black, felt-tip marker and folded sheet of white paper in his shirt pocket. The paper would often come out to jot down an idea, a comment, draw a sketch, or note a need someone else had that he might be able to fill. Long before there were Internet sites, chat rooms, or blogs Frank was setting up community events where people could exchange ideas, face-to-face. He used his cartoons, his time as a radio talk-show host, the forum of the Times Community Room and later his weekly columns to inform, inspire, and hopefully motivate people to positive change. Frank is a people person. He can talk to anyone and connect across barriers like age, race, religion, ethnicity, and even language. When he went to the Soviet Union on a trade mission, he learned enough Russian to read and converse at a basic level. While others were meeting with dignitaries and using translators, Frank took to the streets, riding in buses and subways, standing at bread lines, shopping at local stores and communicating with the people. His communication skills are admirable. To be able to boil down a concept or a feeling to an editorial cartoon or to express in a five word quotation what some people could not communicate in a long tome is a gift. It is always a pleasure to look at Frank's work and see how he shared that gift. It is my unique privilege to have watched first-hand as Frank shared that gift since I was a child. As an adult, the insights I have gleaned from discussing (and sometimes debating) the issues of the day with Frank are invaluable. It has been my pleasure to have Frank share in my own life and the lives of my children. We recently found some illustrations that Frank had done for some stories that I had written in first grade. My children were amazed at Frank's work, and especially the way in which he captured the essence of the story in the drawings. I hope someday their children will also enjoy his cartoons, quotes and other work. Reviewing some of the things Frank did, even those from 40 or 50 years ago, it is amazing how much is still applicable and resonates today. By capturing the essence or the feelings so distinctly, I believe that much of what he did will, no doubt, prove timeless. Finally, I must note Frank's ability in the area of humor. He knows what's funny and his ability to inject humor and make people laugh is an asset we can all learn from in a busy and sometimes difficult world. Just this week, my wife, the kids and I were recounting to Frank our visit to Virginia, and specifically the home of President James Madison. I was narrating and the kids were chiming in when I would ask the significance of a particular place, a date, the name of a person, etc. They correctly noted that Madison was the 4th President, that his wife's name was Dolly, etc. Then I said, "And every day when former President Madison would come home, he'd walk in the front door and say......" Before I could deliver the punchline, Frank, despite the effects of late stage Parkinson's Disease, beat me to it when he chimed in "Hello Dolly!" |
| Sue Steinmetz (Niece) Trenton, NJ |
Frank Tyger is a
wonderful guy. Period. Lucky for me, he is also my uncle! I am so fortunate to have shared
so many wonderful and fun times with Uncle Frank, creating memories that will be a part of
me forever. My brother and I spent almost every Saturday with Frank, always doing something fun. We would accompany him to The Times to check an ad, layout, or to put the final touches on his column. Then he would let us take turns “driving” his big, white Chrysler around The Times parking lot (way before we were old enough to legally drive)! We would often go to the movies – sometimes two in one weekend – and Frank is responsible for taking us to our first “R” rated movie! Other activities we would enjoy with Frank include bowling, tennis, mini golf, pitch n’ putt, the NJ State Fair, auto races at the Trenton Speedway, horse races, The Times yearly picnic, the circus, Princeton University basketball and football games, Heritage Days, and countless other events. No matter where we were, if we were with Frank, we were having a good time because HE was having a good time. Frank also enjoyed staying home, and along with my dad and grandmother, taught us how to play penny ball, box ball, 500 Rummy and poker. Sometimes we would take my grandmother to the grocery store, and we would stay in the parking lot with Frank, open the trunk of his car, and throw a football around or play penny ball until she was done shopping. No matter how old he was, Frank was still a kid at heart! Our whole family would especially enjoy playing board games with Frank, like Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, or Encore (the singing game). I would always quietly hope I would end up on Frank’s team because it seemed like he knew EVERY answer to EVERY question. His knowledge about so many diverse subjects is astounding! Frank’s enthusiasm for life has always been contagious and his genuine interest in what you were doing never ceased to amaze me. He came to every important event in our lives and was always our loudest and most enthusiastic supporter. I am equally proud of him and his talent and am so thrilled that this website was created to honor him. His cartoons, drawings, quotes and puns will be passed on to future generations, including my own son, Robbie. Upon exiting his high school orientation this past August, the first thing Robbie said to me was, “Look what’s in my planner!” Sure enough, it was a wonderful quote from my uncle, Frank Tyger, “The future depends on many things, but mostly on you.” A wonderful quote written by a wonderful guy!!! |
| Robbie Steinmetz (Great Nephew) Trenton, NJ |
My Great Uncle Frank
is an amazing man. My mom and grandparents have always had wonderful things to tell me
about him, but it was not until this website was started that I realized what a great man
he is. As a young child, I spent quite a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. When Uncle Frank lived there, I always looked up to him. He always seemed to be laughing and smiling. His eyes seemed to smile in their own way, too. His chair used to sit facing the hallway that ended in the back bedroom. I always loved to play “Ball down the Hall” (a game we made up ourselves) with Uncle Frank. I would sit on the floor of the bedroom and push a big rubber ball down to Uncle Frank. Then he’d push it back. And every time it would hit one of the walls I would loudly announce, “Ricochet off the wall!” And Uncle Frank would laugh – every time! Since I was only about three years old at the time, this game could go on for quite a while, and Uncle Frank would play for as long as I wanted to play. That’s really all I remember of Uncle Frank before the Parkinson’s disease got worse and he had to go into a nursing home. I wish I could have been born a few years earlier and been able to see more of Uncle Frank before he became sick. I think even more of Uncle Frank now that I have seen all of the things he’s written and drawn. He is so talented in so many ways. He is a great, great man. |
| Barbara Tyger (Sister-in-law) Trenton, NJ |
No sister-in-law is luckier than I, to have a brother-in-law like Frank Tyger. For all the years that we have been family, through hard times and good times, Frank has always been there for me, showing his concern and interest in things that were part of day-to-day living. I can always remember Frank saying "How are you, Barbara"? Even to this day I am told by people visiting Frank that he will still say "Where is Barbara. How is she"? Frank was always more concerned and interested about everyone else, more so than he was about himself . One excellent example of Franks devotion to his family is: I lost my husband and Frank lost his brother Stan over 40 years ago. 40 years later, we still are just as close as if Stanley were still alive. Now that is truly remarkable. |
| Diane Neuhof (Niece) Yardville, NJ |
A tribute to a truly
remarkable man, Frank Tyger, my uncle. I am an extremely proud niece to have an uncle as
wonderful as you are. From the day I was born, as told to me by my Mom and Dad, the Tyger
family was so happy a little girl came into their lives. After 3 boys in the family, I was
the first niece who made Frank an uncle for the first time. You can imagine how happy he
was. As I was growing up as a child there are certain things that you never forget. All
the visits to see my Grandma and Uncle Frank at 33 Lincoln Court. It was my second home.
(Even today, I still drive by Lincoln Court and stop and look at the apartment where the
Tygers lived. I feel such a connection there. In my mind I visualize Uncle Frank and
Grandma staring out the window waving goodbye to us as we drove off). I loved going there
to see Uncle Frank. He was always so happy, loving, funny and always full of humor.
Whenever I would come to visit, there was always never ending games of pennyball, (which I
loved to beat him at), taking rides in his big white Chrysler, watching TV, going to the
Trenton State Fair, the Times picnics and of course going to the Trenton Times. He would
love to take me there and give me the tour of the Times which I had quite often. He was
very proud of his picture hanging on the wall of the Times as you walk in the side doors
by the parking lot. He loved to show me that picture everytime we went there. We would
stop and just look at it and he gleamed with pride. Besides his family, the Trenton Times
was his life. I remember my many visits to Grandma around lunchtime and Uncle Frank would
be at work and everyday precisely at 12 noon, Uncle Frank would call Grandma and ask her
if he got any mail today. Then he would proceed to ask her if there was anything in the
mail from Readers Digest, wanting to know if Readers Digest accepted any of his many
quotes he would send them. This went on for years and of course Grandma couldn’t wait
to get Uncle Franks call at lunchtime. Uncle Franks favorite breakfast was Total cereal and he loved Franks and Beans for either lunch or dinner. He would also be a staple at Weinsteins Deli for lunch where he would eat a couple of times a week. When he would eat an egg, he would dissect it and remove the whites of the egg and only eat the yolk. He loved bagels, but removed all the dough from the inside. Never ate pizza for as long as I can remember, but eventually learned to really like it. That also goes for many other foods he never did eat, but then he began to like the many foods he tried. He loved to watch Jeopardy every evening and answered many of the questions Alex Tribec asked the contestants. Boy, was I impressed by his outstanding knowledge of many topics. Late night, his favorite show was Johnny Carson of course. Going back many years before, he liked to watch the Lawrence Welk show and Ed Sullivan. I remember whenever The Wizard of Oz was on, I was at Grandma and Uncle Franks house. He loved to watch The Wizard of Oz with me, as well as Lassie and Sea Hunt. As far as movies on the big screen, Uncle Frank never ever saw one bad movie. He liked them all. Uncle Frank did love to sing and sang along with many of the songs he heard. He did love to laugh, and you couldn’t help but laugh with him. I can distinctly hear that chuckle of his. Many a happy time. Whenever we had either lunch or dinner together, Uncle Frank would always pull out his pen in his shirt pocket, grab a napkin and start either drawing or if a quote came into mind, he would jot it down. He would also always have a piece of paper in his pocket just in case a thought or a drawing came into mind. When my children Steve and Beth were little, they used to get a kick out of that! Now that they are grown, that is the one thing they can remember about Uncle Frank, sitting at the table and having Uncle Frank draw on a napkin! As years went by, there was one thing that never did change. Uncle Frank. He is always consistently more concerned about everyone else, more than himself. He is a caring, gentle, loving, very inquisitive, one-of-a-kind person. Whenever we would be together he was always full of questions about YOU. Frank Tyger is a great human being, who is so full of love, laughter, kindness and gentleness. He is a man that would NEVER hurt a fly. He had not one enemy. He liked EVERY single person for who they were, not finding fault with ANYONE. Uncle Frank, I am deeply honored and proud to be your niece and will cherish every memory of you forever. |
| Arnie and Bertha
Ropeik (Co-worker and Friend) Trenton, NJ |
Frank and I worked
together at the Times for twenty-five years or more and became fast friends. We fished
together, ate lunch together and talked about everything. His most proud achievements were his political cartoons which were published in our paper and many others throughout the country. His best hang in the National Archives in Washington, DC and were displayed at an exhibition and reception in his honor at the main branch of the Hamilton Library several years ago. Not enough attention was given to them nationally, I felt His columns in the Times were always human and very touching. He helped so many people and organizations and got the public to respond generously. His influence was felt in every corner of the community. Keep going, Frank, for as long as you can. |
| Dick Bossler (Friend) Valleyford, WA |
I first met Frank
Tyger while a student at Grice Junior High (Hamilton, NJ) in the late 1960s. A project I
had entered in the Greater Trenton Science Fair had been selected as a finalist for an
award. The Times was a sponsor of this event, and Frank represented the paper. In this
role, he would bring students selected for further interviews by the judges to the Trenton
War Memorial where the Fair was held. During our car ride to the War Memorial, Frank wanted to know all about my exhibit and the courses I was taking. As I moved from Grice to Hamilton High West, I had other opportunities to meet the judges in future Science Fairs. And Frank was always there to provide the ride and ask about the project I had entered. In high school when I was looking for a summer job I pursued a number of avenues, including asking if Frank knew of anyone I could talk to at the Times. He introduced me to Bob Moyer, then General Manager of the Times, who offered a part-time opportunity in their Data Processing department which I had through my Rutgers College years. I have Frank to thank for my start in the Corporate world. After Rutgers Frank and I would occasionally meet for lunch at one of his favorite restaurants – the Old Heidelberg in Trenton. Each Time we met Frank was always interested in what I was doing. But that’s how Frank is – in an age of "It’s all about me" with him it is "all about you." There are other lessons that Frank has taught those of us fortunate enough to know him. Bring a passion to whatever you are doing. The journey of building this Web site has opened up a new window on my friend’s many talents. We hope that you enjoy this tribute to Frank Tyger – his life, accomplishments and the times he has lived in as captured through his editorial work. |
If you are a friend of Frank
and want to share your reminisces, Comments will be posted in an online Guest Book as part of the Frank Tyger Web site. |
| Special Thanks to
... Charlotte and Bob Tyger Sheila Gallagher-Montone and Brian Malone Tom Glover |
| Disclaimer The content of this Web site is not intended to endorse any charitable cause, political viewpoint or product but rather to present the diversity of work done by Frank Tyger during his career in retail, advertising and newspapers. |
| About
Frank Tyger 2011 Times of Trenton Holiday Appeal in Memory of Frank Tyger Home | In Memoriam | Biography | The Army Years | Editorial Cartoons | In His Own Words - Quotes and Puns The Times Years | Retirement | Guestbook |
| Professionalism
is knowing how to do it, when to do it, and doing it. - Frank Tyger |
