Renowned Oregon businessman, author Gerry Frank has died

Oregon philanthropist Gerry Frank has died.

Frank, 98, gained the nickname “Oregon’s Third Senator” during his decades working as the chief-of-staff for former governor and United States senator Mark Hatfield.

Frank was also a U.S. Army veteran; he was called for active duty in 1943 during World War II.

Frank’s family owned Meier & Frank, a prominent chain of department stores in the Pacific Northwest. It operated from 1857 until its closing in 2006. Frank opened and managed the company’s first branch store, located in Salem, in 1955.

Frank gained a reputation as a renaissance man. In addition to his political career, he helped open a German pastry shop in Salem in 1982. He also served as the chocolate cake judge for the Oregon State Fair for many years.

Frank was a longtime contributor to The Oregonian’s travel section, where he wrote about Oregon communities, and he authored the guidebook, Gerry Frank’s Oregon.