Lasting Memories

Herman Franck
Jan. 20, 1936-Dec. 24, 2006
Palo Alto, California

Herman Franck, 69, a longtime salesman and Palo Alto resident who spent decades fighting "anti-trust" court battles, died Dec. 24, 2006, after a prolonged struggle with cancer.

He was born Jan. 20, 1936, at St. Francis hospital in San Francisco. His desire to be an entrepreneur developed at a young age. His first endeavor began when he started a small photography business while attending an American high school in Tokyo. When he returned to finish high school at Palo Alto High School, he purchased a truck and began harvesting pine trees in the Tahoe-area mountains and selling them as Christmas trees in Palo Alto. He eventually started in the automotive-parts-distribution business, which he operated for the next 50 years.

With his first wife, Adrienne Linda Beene, he had three children, Rhonda May Franck of Mountain View, Herman Franck of Sacramento and Adron Beene of San Jose. He and his second wife, Carolyn Carter Franck, had Jennifer Elizabeth Franck, now of San Juan Capistrano.

In his later years, he was involved with legal battles over manufacturer's rights to terminate distributors who offer price discounts. The issue consumed several decades of his life as he self-litigated more than 200 anti-trust lawsuits.

He is survived by his domestic partner, Diane Rowe; four children, Rhoda, Herman, Adron and Jennifer; and six grandchildren.