Franklyn Slaton Oerting

Christian, humble, kind, patient, generous, disciplined, loving… some of the best words to describe Frank Oerting. Sacrificial love, learned from Jesus, seen in the actions of Mr. Franklyn Slaton Oerting.

Son of Charles Julius “CJ” Oerting and Gladys Crawford Oerting; husband of his cherished wife, Lyn Oerting; father of Amy (Henry “Robin”) Robinson and Anna (Nathan) Turner; “Papa” of Cara, Kelly, Slaton, Lily Mac, and Katherine; and brother of David Oerting and Dianne Oerting Fairchild (Bill).

Frank always worked hard. He sold papers as a boy for the Mobile Register. First on a city corner and then moved his way up to his own paper route. Frank graduated from Murphy High School in Mobile, AL in 1958 and then attended Auburn University, where he was a member of Theta Chi fraternity and served in the ROTC. One of his oldest friends was his fraternity brother, Albert Lee. He loved cheering for Auburn, especially Auburn football.

After graduating in business in 1963, Frank served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force. He served in Vietnam, primarily in the Camron Bay area. After concluding his duty, he began civilian life in New Orleans, LA, where he met his wife of 56 years. Shortly after marrying, they moved to the University Park area of Dallas, TX where he began his procurement career with the US Department of Defense. 

While living in Dallas for 10 years, Frank and Lyn were active members of Highland Park Presbyterian Church. He was able to have an active part in the lives of his nephew, Chris Harmon, and niece, Lisa Harmon Ford. He earned an MBA from the University of Dallas. The highpoint of living in Dallas was becoming a father when he welcomed his precious Amy in 1977.

Family in Mobile, AL, and Columbia, MS, drew Frank and Lyn to Mississippi after Amy was born. He moved to Picayune and worked at Stennis Space Center as a Contract Specialist for several agencies before retiring from NASA.

In Picayune Frank’s second daughter was born. He loved mightily during their childhood and never raised his voice, except during Auburn football games. He demonstrated love, teaching the girls to fish and camp.

Frank lived in Picayune about 15 years before moving to Long Beach in 1992. He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Picayune and then First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport after moving to the coast. He served in various roles, including Sunday School teacher, Deacon, and Ruling Elder. 

Frank was a member of Gideons International. Weekly prayer breakfasts on Saturday mornings were not to be missed. As part of the group, he went into jails and prisons to share the good word of hope in Jesus, he spoke in various churches and schools, and handed out God’s word, the Bible, to many.

Each week Frank looked forward to his Friday morning men’s breakfast and Bible study which met at St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church. 

For many years he and Lyn were active volunteers for mission groups to seafarers in the Ports of Gulfport, New Orleans, and Seward, Alaska. His work enabled the good news of hope in and forgiveness in Jesus to be shared with men and women from all over the world.

After retiring from NASA in 2004, Frank volunteered for Meals on Wheels among other things. After Hurricane Katrina, he was asked to go back to work for a new organization called the NASA Shared Services Center. He agreed to go for one year, which turned into 6 years. He retired for the second time in 2012.

Frank often drove Lyn to her outings, church, or to visit friends. The last year, he cooked for her, and even did so the morning of the day he passed away. He loved caring for his wife and others. 

Frank took joy in watching his grandchildren grow and achieve, including watching his oldest grandchild, Cara, graduate from Mississippi State University and become a teacher, and was excited about the upcoming graduation of Kelly from the University of Southern Mississippi. He liked to play golf and enjoyed watching his grandson, Slaton, as he honed his own golf abilities. From softball games to dance recitals, he always showed up and rooted for Lily Mac and Katherine. 

Frank loved his nieces and nephews and enjoyed catching up on their lives and sharing in their achievements. 

Life was not always easy. Frank was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, a type linked to agent orange exposure in Vietnam. He didn’t complain. He made trips to MD Anderson for tests and treatment for over 12 years. That is how Frank knew of the aneurysm in his artery, that would one day end his life. Thankfully, he had been assured as recently as September that was long off, and so he lived life to the fullest even in his last day. 

While missed tremendously on earth, we are encouraged as we know that he knew “For God so loved the World, that He gave His only son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Frank did believe that Jesus is the Messiah who came the first time to pay for sins of those who believe. Anyone can ask Him to be their savior. 

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport. Friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow at Long Beach City Cemetery. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is honored to serve the family of Frank Oerting.

The family prefers memorials to The Gideons International, Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090.