Frank Tremmel, age 93, of Bainbridge Island, died Nov. 27 at Messenger House Care Center.

He was born July 16, 1910, to Charles Tremmel and Kate Johannes on the family farm near Ashton in northwestern Iowa. He was the sixth of 12 children.

He graduated from high school in 1928. After graduation, he operated the family farm and managed a corn-shelling business. In 1939, he married Lucile Lenz, a school teacher from southwestern Minnesota.

The couple had two children, David, born in 1940, and Diane, born in 1944. He continued to farm until 1970, when he retired.

Soon thereafter, he started working again, first as a carpenter and then as a custodian for the county parks department. He retired from the parks position at age 80, saying that “it was time for the job to go to a younger guy.”

At that point he assumed another full-time job as caregiver for his wife, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He cared for her until her death in November 1993.

He moved to Bainbridge Island in 1997, ostensibly to be nearer his daughter, Diane. It soon became apparent that the ulterior motive for moving was closer proximity to major league baseball.

Frank traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, and abroad to England, continental Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Harry Colvin of Bainbridge Island; his son and daughter-in-law, David and Sandy Tremmel of Vancouver, Wash.; his sister, Helen Aakre of Portland, Ore.; and two grandchildren, Caroline and Billy.

His family thanked the staff at Messenger House and Virginia Mason’s Winslow Clinic for their care and compassion.

A memorial service will be held in Ashton, Iowa, where his remains will be interred next to those of his wife Lucile.