Frank Montgomery Vann – Obituary

by Lynn McMillen
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Frank Montgomery Vann, 85, of Huntsville passed away on Saturday. He died peacefully, of natural causes, with his family by his side. Frank was born in Waynesboro, Mississippi on November 10, 1932.  He graduated Citronelle High School and at age 18 served as a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army in the Korean conflict.  He was honorably discharged in 1952 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Later he attended Auburn University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. At Auburn he met and married Mary Adaline Truluck in 1954.  They have resided in Huntsville, Alabama since 1957.

Frank worked for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command for 27 years and later Nichols Research Corporation. After retiring from civil service, he was inducted into the U.S. Air, Space, and Missile Defense Distinguished Civilian Wall of Honor for his work with infrared optical sensors. Frank was recognized for serving as Program Manager for collecting missile defense data using infrared optical sensors.  He was responsible for breakthroughs including Beryllium Mirrors and silicon long-wave infrared detector focal plane arrays.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles Debroh Vann, Sr. and John Robert Vann, mother, Hettie Lucy Vann, and father, Johnnie Moses Vann. He is survived by his wife, Mary Truluck Vann; sons, Byron Wallace Vann of Huntsville, and Johnnie Frank Vann and wife, Laura of Huntsville; daughter, Helen Vann Moseley and husband Jeff, of Franklin, Tennessee; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 20, 2017 in Ridley Hall at Episcopal Church of the Nativity followed by a memorial service at the church at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Huntsville-Madison County Rescue Squad, Inc., P.O. Box 2062, Huntsville, Alabama 35804.

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