Frank M. Colella Jr.

SMYRNA, Ga. | Frank (Francis) Colella Jr., a retired electrician and resident of Smyrna, Ga., was taken from this world on Aug. 19, 2018 at the age of 69 while visiting family in Dover, N.H.

Frank is survived by his sons, Jeramie, and Ian; his grandchildren, Anthony, Aiden, and Abigail Colella; brothers, Joe, Rick, and Tom; sister, Lucia, and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was predeceased by his wife, Helga (Hiller nee) who lost her battle with cancer in January 2018; and his parents, Frank Sr. and Ida Colella.

Frank was born in Auburn, N.Y. on March 4, 1949. He graduated from Central High School in 1967 and studied electronics technology at the University of Hawaii; as well as math/science at Cayuga Community College. He owned his own tv repair shop, Intrepid Electronics and then went to work as an electrical engineer at Nucor Steel and also went on to New Process Gear, where he retired. On July 14, 2004, Frank and Helga were married in Kauai, Hawaii.

Frank enjoyed traveling, hiking, backpacking, and spending quality time with friends and family. He had an enormous capacity to enjoy the pleasures of life and enjoyed having a good time. He appreciated deep conversations with people, helping them through their problems, and spent time as a life coach at Beyond Belief Coaching. Following the loss of Helga, he began his trek to visit loved ones in New York and contemplate the next step of his journey visiting family members and friends across the country. The week before his death, he was able to connect with many family members at the annual family reunion in Auburn. Until his last day, he showed compassion and unwavering commitment to being there for those who needed him the most. One of his favorite quotes was, “If you are not moving forward, you are going backwards!!” He will be deeply missed by his friends, family, and all who knew him. A memorial service is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, at Pettigrass Funeral Home, 196 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021. Donations instead of flowers may be sent to the charity of your choice in Frank’s name.

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