Sunday's Obituary - Clarence Frank Tabor...Frank? What?

Hazleton Standard-Speaker,
29NOV1974, pg24

I remember pulling this obituary years ago. I don't remember the exact date or anything. I just remember finding the obituary exactly where it should have been in the local newspaper and saying to myself, "Frank? What? His middle name was Paul!"

Perhaps lying about middle names was a family tradition. My father told me his middle name was Christopher. I believed for a good majority of my life that it was. My sister told me the truth a few days before I went to MEPS to join the Army. Considering I was going for a security clearance it probably wouldn't have looked good to get my father's name wrong. I get it though. My dad hated his middle name, although it was his dad's name so I didn't get the whole dislike of it. As for my grandfather fibbing his middle name, well who knows? Paul isn't a bad name so why give a false one.

As it turns out it was a nickname he used for the same reason that my dad lied about his middle name being Clarence. Apparently they both hated the name. Although if Clarence hated it why would he give it to his son? Goodness only knows. I know that when he snuck away and joined the Army he was known as "Corp" to his buddies. No doubt a nickname for "corporal."

"Clarence (Frank) Tabor

Clarence (Frank) Tabor of 837 Alter St. died late Tuesday evening at the Hazleton State General Hospital following a lingering illness.

He was born in Scranton a son of the late Adam and Jadwiga Tabor. His wife, the former Florence Bronsavage (sic), died in 1962.

The deceased was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hazleton.

Prior to his retirement seven years ago he was employed as an assembler at the L.F. Grams Co. in Allentown.

He is survived by two sone: Leonard, at home; and Paul of Hazleton; two sisters: Mrs. Leo Zener and Mrs. Stanley Romanski (sic) of Scranton; and a brother, Adam of Scranton. Three grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. from the Turnbach Funeral Home with the Rev. Ghulam M. Nasrani officiating. Interment will be in the Mountain View Cemetery, West Hazleton.

Friends may call tonight from 7 to 9."