Franklin Dunbar Geldert, 75, an executive with Bendix Corp., died of a stroke July 30, 2007 while vacationing in Lake Tahoe, California.
Mr. Geldert lived in Severna Park from 1974 until 1989, while he was director of marketing at the Bendix communications division in Towson, Maryland. He was promoted to general manager and vice president of marketing in the division and transferred to the offices in Arlington County, where he played a key role during the Allied Signal acquisition of Bendix. More recently, he lived in Easton, Maryland, and Palos Verdes, California.
He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and moved to California as a child. He graduated from UCLA and joined the Marine Corps, serving as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. After his military service, he joined Bendix and worked for the company in California from 1956 until 1974, when he moved to the Washington area. In 1989, he returned to California and retired in 1991 as an executive vice president of Allied Signal Aerospace.
He was awarded one of only three reproductions of the Bendix Trophy, the original of which is in the National Air and Space Museum.
He enjoyed boating, golf and traveling with his wife through Europe.
His marriage to Connie Geldert ended in divorce.
Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Sharon Ann Geldert of Easton and Palos Verdes; four children from his first marriage, Pamela Moore, Leslie Giovanetti and Frank Geldert Jr., all of Santa Rosa, California, and Allison Ward of Moss Beach, California; two children from his second marriage, Rob Clark of Lake Tahoe and Amy Raymond of Annapolis; and 14 grandchildren.
The Washington Post, August 17, 2007
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Franklin Geldert, born December 8, 1931, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, died of a sroke, July 30, 2007, in Lake Tahoe, California Mr. Geldert relocated with his family to California in 1934. He attended South Pasadena-San Marino High School and was a Golden Gloves boxer. He earned an undergraduate degree in business and a master's degree in marketing from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Mr. Geldert served in the Marine Corps as a fighter pilot during the Korean War.
He began his career in 1956, working for the Bendix Corp. in California. In 1974 he relocated his family to Severna Park, and become the director of marketing at the Bendix Communications Division in Towson. Soon after he was promoted to general manager and vice president of marketing and was transferred to the headquarters offices in Arlington, Virginia, where he was instrumental during the Allied Signal acquisition.
He retired in 1991 as executive vice president, Allied Signal Aerospace, and was honored with one of only three reproductions of the Bendix Trophy, the original of which is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
His interests included boating, golf and traveling throughout Europe, especially France.
Surviving are his wife of 36 years, Sharon Ann Geldert, whom he married in 1971; six children, Pamela Moore, Leslie Giovanetti, Allison Ward and Frank Geldert Jr., all of northern California, Rob Clark of Lake Tahoe and Amy Raymond of Annapolis; and 14 grandchildren.
The Capital (Annapolis, Maryland), August 17, 2007
