Spc. Jason Allen Frank, U.S. Army, 27, died unexpectedly Sunday March 9, 2014 at Maine Medical Center while home on military leave. He was born on Dec. 3, 1986 in Portland. Jason was a 2006 graduate of South Portland High School and joined the military after marrying his high school sweetheart. At the time of his passing Spc. Frank was currently serving with the 7th Special Forces Group and was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He had previously been stationed at Ft Bragg, NC; Ft Jackson, SC; Ft. Lee, Virginia. He served seven months with the Special Forces in Afghanistan.
At home he was a dedicated husband and father, always making time for his two daughters. He loved to cook and make others laugh, while at the same time being the type of person who would give you the shirt off their back. He was very passionate about the military – it gave him peace to serve in that capacity.
Jason’s wife, Melinda, chose the stone from a special location by the water in South Portland – a spot where they had shared many special times together.
Jason’s wife, Melinda, writes about Jason:
Jason was raised and graduated High School in South Portland, ME where he was adored and loved by so many. I met Jason in 2006 – he became my High School sweetheart. He had talked about always wanting to join the military as he wanted to do something great with his life and serve his country. After asking me to be his wife, he expressed his passion to enlist to my father, while explaining that the military would give us a good life and it did just that. Jason was always a bubbly person, but he truly bloomed into his true self after becoming a solider. There is no doubt in my mind that if he were here today, he would have made the same choice to enlist all over again.
Jason loved music as well. Nearly every morning at 4 am, he could be heard singing in the shower, and you knew he was dancing in there too because you could hear him stomping around and shampoo bottles falling to the floor. Although, he loved music and being a solider was his calling, he really nailed it at being a father and husband. Every day that he came home, he had a routine of falling to his knees after entering the door and our two daughters would run into his arms. No matter what kind of day he had, his girls aways put a smile on his face and he would push through any negative emotions he may have been feeling to just be there with them, playing with whatever toys they laid in front of him. He was a loving, and thoughtful husband. Always putting our needs and desires above his own. Still to this day, I have never met a more selfless man.
He was always a bubbly person and always cracking jokes. In fact, if you were to tell him he was funny, he’s would respond with his famous saying, “Good thing looks aren’t everything.” Jason was also a very talented artist, and from the stories I have been told, it’s been that way since he was just a little boy. He never desired to become an artist, he did it for the enjoyment of it. Cooking, however, was a passion he chose to deepen. While attending High School he went to a trade school where he did Culinary Arts for 2 years. When he joined the military, he applied this passion and was a cook for 7th Special Forces Group.
Jason always tried to make others smile and laugh. I remember him always being a goofball and walking on his hands. One day while he was at work, I got a call that he had to head over to the hospital because he tried to do it while going down the stairs and of course he broke his ankle. He just laughed and said “I was so close to making it all the way down, next time I’ll get it.” One of my favorite memories is when we were stationed on Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Jason loved Christmas. When December rolled around Jason decorated our front yard with a blow-up snowman, plastic candy canes that led up our driveway, and hung lights. He then went inside and put the thermostat at a ridiculously low temperature, lit some cinnamon candles, preheated the over to make cookies and said “Ahhhh it’s just like being back home”. He had the biggest grin on his face that I couldn’t help but laugh.
Deployment was hard but during our “skype dates” you would think that he was just having a normal day at work. The only complaint he ever had was that he missed us. He loved doing what he did and always spoke with passion. He had found his second love, and that was serving his country.
Jason was love and protection wrapped in a body. He was a hard worker and proud to be serving our country. He was a family man and even if he just met you, he would treat you as if you had known you forever. He was there for anyone who needed help.
I set out one day to find a stone for Jason. I had our daughters with me and I had a place in mind but since we were visiting South Portland I figured I would take a walk down memory lane and talk about the history between their father and I to our children before going to the place I had in mind. Although I have done this in the past with them, it had been a few years. I showed our daughters where we first lived together. We walked past the house and down to the water where we shared so many memories together – 4th of July with family members, and the place where we would just sit and talk about our future together. It was the spot we took our daughters when they were babies and he would come home to visit. It was Jason’s spot from when he was a little boy, but in the end I realized it became our family spot. Memories flooded my mind and tears filled my eyes as I walked along the water. The sense of pride, sadness and happiness consumed me and just as if someone tugged on me, I saw it and knew this was the stone. My oldest daughter caught sight of me and when I looked up from the stone she smiled and said “it’s perfect”. My youngest daughter carried it back to the truck and for a week we carried his stone with us – taking it to the grocery store, to the park, to his gravesite, and to our favorite camp before being engraved.
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This Memorial Day weekend, I walked in honor of a man whose presence lit up every room, whose heart embraced everyone he met, and whose legacy lives on in the family he loved so deeply.
Jason was one of those rare souls who carried joy like a torch — always laughing, always singing, always finding ways to bring people together. Whether it was a backyard barbecue, a spontaneous song in the grocery store, or a quiet moment at home, he made life lighter, warmer, and better for everyone around him.
At first glance, you might have thought Jason looked intimidating — but all it took was a simple “hello” to reveal the kind, goofy, welcoming heart beneath. That was Jason: a big smile, a bigger laugh, and a heart that held space for everyone.
He was a soldier, yes — proud to serve, driven by purpose, and deeply committed to providing a better life for his family. But above all, Jason was a husband and a father. Every day, after work, he dropped to his knees so his daughter could run into his arms. Every weekend, he made sure his wife could sleep in while he took the girls to the park. He didn’t just show up for his family — he lived for them.
He met his wife in high school, a love story that began with confusion over his name and a bold prediction: “I’m going to marry you someday.” And he did. Together, they built a life full of laughter, love, and shared dreams. Even during deployments and long stretches of training, they stayed connected — through video chats, photos on the walls, and a nightly goodnight ritual they never missed, even across oceans:
Him: Goodnight
Her: Goodnight
Him: Sweet dreams
Her: Sweetest dreams
Him: Promise to meet me there?
Her: Promise. I love you
Him: Love you the most
Jason approached life with gratitude and intention. He didn’t view service as an obligation, but as a privilege. He believed in rising early, in working hard, and in being present. He took joy in the little things — in swimming until the sun went down, in drawing, in singing, in making his daughters laugh.
To those who served alongside him, Jason was steady, dependable, and driven. To his wife, he was her strength, her laughter, her safe place. And to his daughters, he was everything — their hero, their sunshine, their Dad.
Even now, Jason remains at the heart of his family. On his birthday, they bring him cake at his gravesite. At Christmas, they send messages into the sky with balloons. They remember him in everyday moments — dancing to his favorite songs, flipping through old photos, or just sharing stories about the man who loved them most in the world.
His wife says that on the hardest days, she remembers that their daughters are a living piece of him — and that she still represents him to the world. So she gets up. She carries the love and the grief. And she keeps going, with his strength beside her.
If Jason could see this tribute hike and hear these words, he’d probably blush, crack a joke, and turn the attention to his wife and kids. He was never one to boast — but he was always the one lifting others up.
Jason was the warmth on a cold day. The laughter in a quiet room. The hand that helped carry the load. He made the hardest parts of life feel bearable — and gave everyone around him a reason to believe in better days.
It was such an honor to get to know Jason — the soldier, the husband, the father, the friend. I will remember his music, his smile, his strength, and above all, his heart. And iI promise to carry his light forward.
Today I had the absolute honor of carrying the stone of Army SPC Jason A. Frank up Mt. Agamenticus in York, ME. Reading about Jason, and what his wife, Melinda, wrote about him helped me understand who Jason was. I shared his story not just as a fallen soldier, but also as a Father and a Husband. During the time that I spoke, I cried. Jason sounds like he was an incredible soldier who was proud to serve his country, and was able to bring his passion for cooking into his career. But at home is where Jason truly shined. Being a father to his two girls, and a husband to Melinda. When I shared that no matter how bad of a day Jason had, when he got home and walked through the door to bend down and greet the girls with hugs I had to pause because I was so overcome with emotion. Maybe it’s because I am also married to my high school sweetheart, or because I have 3 kiddos at home, but I felt so connected to Jason in that moment. A man I had never met, and will never get to meet, has impacted my heart.
To Jason’s family: Please know what an honor and a privilege it was to carry his stone with me. While Jason may no longer be with us physically, and he has been gone from this earth for over 10 years, his story continues to be shared. He will not be forgotten, and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of his story as it continues. I will continue to carry Jason, as well as all of you, in my heart.
Jason: We are so thankful for your service, for your selflessness, and for your commitment to not only your Country, but also to your family. You will continue to be missed.
To Frank Family,
I was honored to have the privilege to bring your husband, dad, friend or however he affected your life with his presence. Reading his story really touched me. What really made me be able to imagine his presence was that he loved to walk on his hands. When I was up on the summit with your loved one reading his story to my company, I imagined him standing next to me or walking on his hands! I once again appreciate the opportunity to take SPC. Frank up the Mt. with me today.
Cadet Ian
To the Family of SPC Frank,
Today myself and a young man had the honor to remember SPC Frank during our climb up Table Rock Mt. We talked about him and who he was. He spoke of the love he had for his family and did an amazing job relaying his story. I too am a service member and the best part about being a part of this is love, respect forever stays with the soldier himself or herself and their families. We hope you know we are keeping his memories and sacrifices alive today, tomorrow, and many more years to come, the same as I’m sure he does every day with you.
Thanks for sharing him with us.
Much love from the Army family. -SS