Frank R. Niessen's Obituary
Frank Richard Niessen, 70, of Stafford Springs, CT, died Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at Hartford Hospital. His wife of 33 years, Patricia (Woodworth) Niessen, survives him. Born in Poughkeepsie, NY, on September 28, 1945, he was the son of the late Clossie (Helm) and Frank Harlin Niessen. He grew up in the Red Oaks Mill section of Poughkeepsie, NY, where he enjoyed playing Little League and Junior League baseball and being in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He also enjoyed swimming, fishing, and canoeing on the Wappingers Creek which ran along one end of his parents’ property. He was graduated from Arlington High School (’63), Rensselear Polytechnic Institute (B.S., ’67), and The Pennsylvania State University (M.S., ’71). At R.P.I, Frank joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon social fraternity. He was employed as an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA for 12 years and then at Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks, CT for 23 years; he retired in 2002. At NASA, Frank participated in flight testing to develop instrument approach capability for helicopters; at Hamilton Standard, he designed and tested cooling/heating/ventilation systems for aircraft including the Air Force B-2 Spirit and Navy F-18 Super Hornet. Other survivors include a brother, John Niessen, of Portland, OR; a son Frank William Niessen and his significant other Kyiamonique of Bristol, CT; a daughter Kimberly Turner and her husband Brett of Savanna, GA; a grandson Seth Niessen; and several cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews. Frank was proud to be a member of the Somers Sportsmen’s Association. A calling hour will be held on Monday, June 20, 2016 from 10-11 A.M. with a funeral service to take place at 11 A.M. at Introvigne Funeral Home, Inc., 51 East Main St., Stafford Springs, CT. Burial will follow in St. Edward Cemetery, Stafford Springs, CT. For online condolences or directions, please visit: www.introvignefuneralhome.com
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