Frank Ambrose Nugent, Jr. passed away at age 85, having lived on the Clackamas River in Eagle Creek, Oregon since 1992. A native of Oakland, California, Frank was the only child of Frank A. Nugent, a civil engineer and occasional theater critic for the San Francisco Examiner, and Margaret Mae (Mickey) Reilley, the poker-playing daughter of the Alameda County sheriff.

Frank began his relationship with the Christian Brothers at Saint Mary’s High in Berkeley, California. Upon graduating in 1945 at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a military policeman with the occupational forces in Yokohama, Japan. Upon his honorable discharge, Frank enrolled at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California becoming the third consecutive generation of Nugent to do so, each on a different campus. Like his father, he pitched on the varsity baseball team; he studied literature and debate and graduated in 1952, a lifetime Gael.

In September, 1952 he married Mary Lou Lubis, whom he had first met when a senior in high school. He went to work for Fibreboard in Antioch, California, and later moved to Crown Zellerbach, initially in labor relations and office management, but he quickly realized the salesmen made the dough and had more fun, and so progressed through the sales ranks with Crown in Dallas, Houston and Chicago. With their family of now four children, Frank and Mary Lou moved in 1965 to Los Angeles, California when he joined a rapidly growing company, Boise Cascade Corp. A move to Portland, Oregon came two years later, as Frank became the head of sales for the bag and specialty division in the western United States.

When Boise proposed a move to New Jersey, Frank decided it was time to head out on his own and in 1973 joined a small manufacturer’s rep firm in Portland. He soon bought out his partners and expanded the business. In 1975 he began what would become a special relationship with Ken and Bob McGowan, as they affiliated under the banner of Kenco Sales. Ken and Bob handled Washington and Frank took care of Oregon and SW Washington, initially with Bill Gatch and then with Ed Smith and Randy Barnes as partners.

Mary Lou passed away far too young in 1990, with Frank taking great comfort in the love and support of his family and business partners.

In late 1991, Frank married Donna M. Lee, whom he had known for many years through her work at S.E. Rycoff, where she was one of his big customers. Through Donna, Frank inherited a wonderful new family of five children and many grandchildren, who were a source of great pride and joy to him. Frank and Donna built a beautiful home on a bend in the river and enjoyed many interesting trips to different parts of the world, often with the McGowans.

Frank’s life focused on family and faith. He enjoyed coaching, baseball, travel, golf and reading. He loved his Galloping Gaels, Oakland A’s and San Francisco 49’ers, often watching the ‘Niners summer camp at Saint Mary’s College while visiting family on vacation.

Frank’s funeral will be held at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary cemetery. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1650 NW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97209.