Frank Wulftange

March 24, 1935 — May 8, 2024

In loving memory of Frank Henry Wulftange. Frank was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. His greatest interests centered on his loved ones and serving his community.

Frank H. Wulftange passed away on May 8, 2024, at the age of 89. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second child of Frank Henry Wulftange, Sr., and Margaret Ney Callahan Wulftange. Frank grew up in Millville, Ohio, and attended Ross Township School with his brothers: John, David, and Joseph. During World War II, Frank’s family moved to Hamilton, Ohio, and he attended school in Cincinnati at St. Joseph Catholic School.

Frank’s family journeyed to San Jose, California, after the untimely death of his father, and they re-established their home there. In San Jose, he attended Abraham Lincoln High School and represented the Lions well in football and track and field under his esteemed coach, Lee Cox. He competed for San José State University with Coach Bud Winter in cross-country and track competitions during his collegiate years. In post-collegiate years he competed for the elite Santa Clara Youth Village team with Coach Mihaly Igloi. In those years he raced in some great stadiums with the top runners of the time. In his prime, he was ranked in the top fifty in the world. A fun anecdote is that Frank, with college friends, ran a non-stop four-person relay around Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada (approximately 75 miles). He and his friends were the first runners ever to undertake this on New Year’s Eve 1958 and completed the race in 8 hours, 38 minutes, and 56 seconds. They then decided to run the relay a second year in 1959, and it was celebrated and advertised as the Marathon Relay Race: Two States, Two Days, Two Years, Two Decades.

Following college, Frank obtained his teaching license and taught in Stockton, California, at Lincoln High School, where he was also the cross-country coach for the Trojans. Later, Frank obtained his master’s degree in Education and his Juris Doctor degree.

Frank met his beloved wife, Margarita Escobedo Wulftange, in Stockton, California. They were married in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Safford, Arizona, in 1966. They were also blessed to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary there. They established their home in Stockton, California, and were blessed with loving children: Frank Gregory Wulftange (Mary Lou Munguia), Margarita Patrice Wulftange, and Romanita Wulftange. They shared a marriage that valued mutual respect, support of partner, and steadfast faith in and love for each other. They radiated love and enjoyment when in the presence of their grandchildren: Sophia Claire Munguia Wulftange, Francisco David Wulftange Munguia, and Anthony Roman Howting. Frank had a reverence for family and its importance in all our lives, exemplified by being an exemplary father, uncle, and man. He demonstrated this through his work on political action committees and on-the-ground work in Stockton, California. He regularly canvassed neighborhoods in Stockton during election seasons to encourage people to vote. He worked diligently in his communities to bring about equity in education and opportunity from the 1960s onward. In Safford, he worked on the Eastern Arizona College Foundation through his involvement with the Newman Center. He met EAC students and always encouraged them. He regularly helped with the Newman Club Tri-Tip Fundraiser, some years wearing his tuxedo to celebrate and honor the community event. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus in both the Annunciation Parish in Stockton, California, and in Safford at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. His faith was a pillar of strength for him. As a child, he and his brothers rode along in the truck while their mother, Margaret, drove and gathered signatures to build a Catholic parish church in Millville, Ohio. He witnessed first-hand his parents’ commitment to their faith and met many from the congregation even before the church was built. Frank also experienced all the fun children can have during fundraisers that happened on the lawn of his parents’ Millville home. Frank was able to attend mass at Queen of Peace Catholic Church thanks to the dedication of his family and the community efforts. We are thankful for these wonderful models of integrity that Frank, in turn, practiced as an adult, earning the respect of those who knew him.

After retirement, Frank and Margarita moved to Safford to live in Margarita’s childhood home. Thank you for your generosity of spirit in welcoming Frank as a friend and family member. We are thankful for the respectful care Frank received from Eden Home Health and Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Henry Sr. and Margaret, his older brother, John Wulftange and his wife Jacklyn, his younger brother, David Wulftange, and sister-in-law, Marian Wulftange, wife of his brother Joseph.

Frank is survived by his wife of 58 years, Margarita Escobedo Wulftange, his children and grandchildren, his youngest brother, Joseph Francis Peter Wulftange, his sister-in-law, Mary-Jean Luneau Wulftange, beloved cousins, Elizabeth Wilk, Mary Jasper, Marty Jo McGuire, Nancy Piper, Bill Klosterman, and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, godchildren, their spouses, and children.

May you Rest in Peace in the loving arms of God. We know you are joyous in the glorious reunion with your beloved father and mother, brothers, all family, in-laws, and friends. They welcome your shining soul with open arms. May those sword fights you and Uncle David had in the attic with your father’s and grandfather’s Knights of Columbus swords recommence, this time under the humor-filled gaze of your parents and a vigilant St. Michael the Archangel.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to St. Rose of Lima in Safford, Arizona, to continue the good works of Frank H. Wulftange at the Newman Center supporting students completing their college education.

Arrangements are cared for by McDougal's Caldwell Funeral Chapel & Gila Valley Crematory located at 112 East Main Street, Safford, Arizona 85546.

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