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<p><em>Francis Joseph “Frank” Kopczynski, Jr</em>., born and raised in Chicago, was appointed to West Point by Congressman Roman Pucinski of the 11th district of Illinois. He attended 13 years of Catholic schooling before attending West Point and described the transition as seamless. He loved the academic demand and embraced what he considered to be one the greatest lessons of West Point: “Regardless of the environment you find yourself, you are to maintain the values and standards you have established for yourself and others. Your values are like a line in the sand, not to be violated.”</p>
<p>As a cadet, Frank was known for his sense of humor, keen wit, and academic excellence. He was exceptionally bright with mathematics, ranking consistently near the top of his class. He was one of the few in the class that looked forward to “taking boards” in mathematics every day. He was active with a wide range of extracurricular activities, including the Debate Council, the Student Council on United States Affairs, the Karate Club, the Riding Club, the Ski Club, the Fine Arts Forum, and the Astronomy Club. Frank volunteered his time on Sundays as a Sunday School teacher. </p>
<p>Following graduation and brief service as a commissioned officer in the Army, Frank pursued a career in consulting and education. He earned an MBA in management from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire and a Ph.D. in accounting and finance from Union Institute. He was also certified as a CPA and he received his master’s in accounting from the Institute of Management Accountants. Frank was active in many professional organizations and served on the Board of the Institute of Management Accountants in the state of New Hampshire. He started a successful finance and accounting business serving customers in the United States, South Korea, Canada, and Central America, among others. As his travel increased, he shifted his focus toward a career in teaching to allow for improved alignment with his focus on time with his growing family. He cultivated a new career as a professor at Plymouth State College. He was passionate about teaching and loved inspiring, mentoring, and supporting thousands of students over his 26-year long career. </p>
<p>Frank looked back on his childhood with fondness and joy. He was surrounded by a large extended family, growing up with friends and mentors that helped to guide his character and faith. He was one of three children raised by loving parents, Francis, and Loretta Kopczynski. He was adopted at the age of three from an orphanage, where his mother was a volunteer. His brothers, Robert and Richard, described him as having admiration and respect from everyone in the neighborhood. He was very protective of his brothers and proud of their achievements and strengths. In his early years, Frank dedicated much of his time to wrestling and to Boy Scouts. He went on to earn his Eagle Scout in 1961. One of his Scoutmasters had a conversation that stuck with him over the years. He saw some expensive gear was locked up with a very small, easily breakable lock. When he asked about the lock he was told “small locks keep honest people honest.” He carried this lesson with him throughout life and believed it was important for people do the right thing and have good character, even when no one was watching, in keeping with the West Point Cadet Prayer where it says, “O God, our Father,…make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong and never to be content with a half-truth when the whole can be won.”</p>
<p>In 1972, Frank married his West Point sweetheart, Carol. They lived throughout New England before eventually settling in New Hampshire. Over 34 years of marriage, they had four children together before Carol passed away in 2006. They lived in a large farmhouse and enjoyed a quiet, private life. Frank spent his time collecting antique tools, working on his hobby truck (a 1955 Chevy), and raising German shepherd dogs. He focused much of his energy on teaching his children to have a strong work ethic, perseverance, and grit. Many a summer day was spent teaching them to shoot, fish, climb trees and run an assortment of tools or machinery. </p>
<p>His children—Sarah, Nathan, Jessica and Karalynn—were all successful with their academic endeavors with one becoming CEO of a hospital in Anchorage, AK after earning her master’s in engineering and management from MIT, another earning a Ph.D. in glaciology with a NASA doctoral fellowship, another earning a master’s in computer engineering and another earning a master’s in nursing. In 2012, Frank remarried to Fides Bongabong from the Philippines. Together they enjoyed the beauty of retirement and a passion of the outdoors. They also enjoyed being grandparents to their six grandchildren. Fides lovingly cared for Frank in his final years as he lived with Alzheimer’s disease. She was a fierce advocate for Frank and kept him active physically and socially, despite the limitations of the disease. </p>
<p>His family will remember him for his big heart, playful spirit, and extroverted nature. He was intelligent, sharp witted, and selflessly worked to take care of and pray for his family and loved ones. He loved politics, history and watching old western films. In his final years, he found strength and peace in reading the Bible daily. Frank Kopczynski, a good friend, a loving father and husband, and a teacher and mentor to so many, will be truly missed.</p>
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