Laura Jean (Frank) Colvin

Laura Jean Colvin, 91, died Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in the presence of family while under the comforting care of Bridge Hospice at the Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Ohio.

Laura Jean Frank was born Sept. 9, 1931, in Tawas, Mich., to William E. and Luella (Trombley) Frank. As a child, she and her three sisters and one brother moved frequently in Michigan, while her father looked for work. She was in the seventh grade when her family moved to a farmhouse in Flat Rock, Mich., where she lived until she graduated from Trenton High School in 1949.

Laura wanted to become a nurse, but the family did not have money for the tuition. She joined the U.S. Army at age 18, following the example of her older brother; all of her sisters also would serve in the Army.

After completing basic training at Ft. Lee, Va., Laura was transferred to Ft. Gordon near Augusta, Ga., to attend Army Signal Corps School; she was then sent to Heidelberg, Germany, to work as a cryptographer operator. There, she met Robert Patrick Colvin and they were married in Geneva, Switzerland, before leaving the service and returning to Michigan.

Laura and Robert both went to work for the Wyandotte Chemical Corp. Robert then got a job at the Aurora Oil Co. refinery in Detroit. That company was subsequently bought by the Ohio Oil Co., which later changed its name to Marathon Oil. Robert was transferred to Findlay in 1964.

Laura worked at home for Theatrical Accessories gluing sequins on a variety of Las Vegas show costumes when her children were in school. Later, she used her Army skills to work in computer operations for Cooper Tire and then for Marathon; Laura and Robert retired in 1986.

Laura and Robert bowled, played tennis, golfed, and played bridge together. She loved exercise. For many years, she worked out at the YMCA on her lunch hour. After retirement, she could be seen at the Y early every morning, and she became close friends with many of her fellow gym denizens.

Robert and Laura always stressed to their four sons the importance of higher education, which neither of them had had the opportunity to pursue. She was a dedicated reader whose house was filled with books, including the world’s 100 classic books in paperback. She could often be seen walking from her home in the south end of Findlay to the downtown library, post office or for a visit to the bank.

The couple were huge sports fans, and Laura continued to closely follow baseball (the Detroit Tigers), football (the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State), professional tennis (the Williams sisters), and golf (Tiger Woods, of course), even after Robert died in 2010. She loved seeing great young athletes’ careers blossom. Jordan Spieth was her favorite golfer and Coco Gauff her favorite tennis player. 

Laura is survived by: four sons, Robert Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Manton, Mich.; Richard and his wife, Virginia Edwards, of Savannah, Ga.; William and his wife, Hilary, of Pepper Pike, Ohio; and David, of Hopkinton, Mass; three sisters, Juanita Reganall and her husband, Bob; Sharon Marlow, and Sandra Hall, all of Muskogee, Okla. Other survivors include many nieces and nephews, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Donations in memory of Laura may be sent to Bridge Hospice, 15100 Birchaven Lane, Findlay, Ohio 45840.

Kirkpatrick-Behnke Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. There will be no services at this time but online condolences may be shared with the family via www.kirkpatrickbehnke.com

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