Hello friends,
I received a phone call today from Texas that I hoped I would not get anytime soon. It was from Billy Branch at Lone Star Gunsmithing in Comanche, Texas.
He was calling about my Model 49 Bodyguard revolver that I had sent down to Frank Smith for repairs. Billy told me that it was his sad duty to inform me that Frank had passed away, and that they were closing the business. He did tell me that Frank had repaired my revolver, and he thought it was the last gun he ever worked on.
I last spoke with Frank on April 14 of this year, and he told me he was sick and had received some bad news from his doctor, but that my revolver was all fixed up and ready to come home. Frank said he would call me in about a week to arrange it. I never heard from him again. I do not know exactly when he passed away. I could not get anyone on the phone after that, and oddly enough had just written him a letter about the gun that I was going to mail this afternoon when the phone rang instead.
Some of you will remember Frank from his many years running a Smith and Wesson authorized repair station. I remember that he was an almost unlimited source of knowledge about all things Smith and Wesson, which he freely shared over the phone at no charge.
He was a good guy, and will be missed.
I received a phone call today from Texas that I hoped I would not get anytime soon. It was from Billy Branch at Lone Star Gunsmithing in Comanche, Texas.
He was calling about my Model 49 Bodyguard revolver that I had sent down to Frank Smith for repairs. Billy told me that it was his sad duty to inform me that Frank had passed away, and that they were closing the business. He did tell me that Frank had repaired my revolver, and he thought it was the last gun he ever worked on.
I last spoke with Frank on April 14 of this year, and he told me he was sick and had received some bad news from his doctor, but that my revolver was all fixed up and ready to come home. Frank said he would call me in about a week to arrange it. I never heard from him again. I do not know exactly when he passed away. I could not get anyone on the phone after that, and oddly enough had just written him a letter about the gun that I was going to mail this afternoon when the phone rang instead.
Some of you will remember Frank from his many years running a Smith and Wesson authorized repair station. I remember that he was an almost unlimited source of knowledge about all things Smith and Wesson, which he freely shared over the phone at no charge.
He was a good guy, and will be missed.
