Bar Harbor -- Francis (“Frank”) Tully died peacefully on June 12, 2016 at Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, Maine, with family members by his side.

Frank was born in 1922 in St. Helen’s, England, the son of a coal miner and a housewife, and was of Irish ancestry. He played soccer, cycled and swam breaststroke as a young man. A life long devout Catholic, Frank was educated at Sacred Heart parish in St. Helen’s before attending St. Helen’s Technical College, where he received an engineering degree. During World War II, he was assigned to work in London, where he repaired aircraft returning from bombing runs. After the war, he immigrated to Canada in 1950 with his first wife, Evelyn, to work for General Electric.

Soon after, Frank moved to Detroit, Michigan and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Frank made his career in the auto industry, working for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, as a quality control engineer, including a two-year assignment for Chrysler in São Paulo, Brazil in 1968.

Frank’s six children benefitted from his strong work ethic, loving and constant presence, and devotion to his family. Frank’s family was active with Catholic parishes in the Detroit area and took camping trips to Michigan state parks every summer. He coached his sons’ soccer teams in the 70’s, when the sport was still new in the U.S. A gifted engineer, Frank could fix almost anything and was very handy around the house and keeping the family cars in tip-top shape. As an immigrant who was fortunate to experience the American Dream, Frank felt an obligation to give back and was involved in the civil rights’ movement in Detroit. Frank was committed to equality, justice and kindness. An avid Democrat, Frank always followed the news, world events and “Meet the Press”.

Frank retired to Salt Lake City where he met his second wife, Marlene. Frank moved to Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, Maine in 2014, where he was cared for lovingly by the Safe Harbor nursing team and his daughter Clare. Frank is survived by Marlene; his six children, Dr. Elizabeth Tully and Mark Giles (Ojai, CA); Julia Tully and Dr. Daniel Evans (Portland, OR and San Miguel Allende, Mexico); Clare Tully and Robert Crawford (Ellsworth, ME); Dr. Brendan Tully, DDS, Commander, US Navy (Ojai, CA); Matthew Tully (Long Beach, CA); Patrick and Wendy Tully (Sacramento, CA); 16 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, and 3 nieces.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 9:00 am, June 15, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 231 Main St. Ellsworth. Interment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Ellsworth.

Contributions in Francis’s memory may be made to Holy Redeemer, Capital Campaign at Transfiguration Parish, 21 Ledgelawn Ave., Bar Harbor, ME 04609.

Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 113 Franklin St. Ellsworth.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.