Francis William McGee - Frank to his friends
‘Young’ Frank was born in Moss Side on 5th July 1938. He had 5 elder and 1 younger sisters and was only five years old when his mother passed away. The family moved to Fallowfield after Frank (the elder) remarried.
Even as a young boy, Frank loved music, singing Sinatra songs and playing the trumpet. He was also developing his mischievous sense of humour, one time draping himself in a white sheet and clanking chains to scare his Sisters Anne and Margaret.
Growing up Frank attended St. Cuthbert’s primary school in Withington where he met his oldest friend Brendon, before moving onto St. Bede’s Grammar school in Whalley range.
He had a brief spell in the Army, enlisting in 1957 and according to his enlistment papers was a “Tall, Clean, Smartly turned out young man and has proved to be honest ,Sober and Reliable. Frank was medically discharged on account the ‘Khakis’ caused him to have  allergic reactions, (perhaps a little ironic then that he spent the latter part of his working life selling Textiles).
As a young man and throughout his life, Frank enjoyed travelling with his friends (his first trip to Ostend being quite eventful ending quite abruptly at the end of the runway at Ringway apparently)
he could have been, and on some occasions was, mistaken for Hank Marvin, something his wicked sense of humour played along with, signing autographs when he got the chance.

Frank met his first wife Chris at a party in Fog Lane, Withington and enjoyed many a Friday night at the Red Lion in Withington as well as the odd visit to the Halle together. They were engaged Christmas 1963.
Frank learned to play a family banjo and consequently forming a folk group called the ‘Country folk’, with Vincent Fitzmorris and Chris on Vocals. They played a ‘gig’ at an old people’s home and catholic club but never quite made the ‘big time’
Frank and Chris Married in 1966 and moved into their first house in Church Road, Gatley later also moving to Grove road before settling in Westfield Cottage, Cheadle Hulme.
Early in his career, Frank worked in an office in Trafford Park, but decided to take a ‘Correspondence course’ on Salesmanship, a move which saw him enter into the textile industry as a National Sales Representative initially for Porth textiles before moving to AJ Worthington for whom he worked until he retired in 1999.
Throughout his life, Frank was an avid Manchester City supporter and would go to watch them play at Maine road whenever he could, often combining games with a visit to see his sister Alice.
In 1972 he became proud and loving father to daughter Kirsty, moving to Mill brow so she could grow up in the country.
After settling in in Mill Brow, Frank and Family fell into a strong group of friends and were regularly to be found socialising together at home, at the Midland, in The ‘Hare’(where Frank played for the Darts Team) or at the ‘Trav’s’ (where Frank was quiz team captain).
Frank and Chris Later Divorced in 1985

Frank met Carol in 1988 through a lonely hearts ad in the Manchester Evening news initially conversing by letter and then phone. Their first date was a Sunday lunch at Carol’s house in Wrenbury, Cheshire.
Frank always made her laugh with his dry and sometimes quite mischievous sense of humour. He was brought up watching the likes of Spike Milligan and the Goon show and was definitely a bit of a practical joker, not even Anne his 90 year old neighbour was safe from his humour and ‘mischief’.
It wasn’t long before Frank and Carol moved in together at Compstall Road, Marple Bridge and were married on 30th December 1992 at Stockport Registry office.
They worked well together as a team, sharing plenty of laughs both together and with friends, Always the convivial hosts and known for their gatherings where the food was aplenty and the wine flowed.
Frank and Carol also enjoyed exploring and would regularly be found travelling together all over Europe, Canada, and even the far east. Some particular memories are of the times spent holidaying with Friends in France (Aujourd Hui!) and Spain.
In 1994, After attending Ian and Lucia’s wedding in Xativa,  Frank and Carol were taken by the lifestyle available  and friendliness of the Spanish people, so much so that in 1999, they retired together, sold the house in Marple, and on Eve of the new millennia, left for a new life in Spain. Initially settling in in Orba and latterly in Ontinyent.
It was a life they both fully embraced, learning the language, making many new friends, joining wine, book and walking clubs. They also enjoyed exploring the multitude small Spanish towns around them, finding the best spots for ‘Menu del Dia’ or to sit and watch the world go by with a a cold beer or vino.
As in Marple, the McGee hospitality offered in Orba and at the 4 Gatos was famous, whether it be entertaining old and new friends alike. The food was as copious as it was delicious and Frank was always there to make sure your glass was never emptyand that you were always smiling.
Frank and Carol enjoyed 13 Fabulous years in Spain together but came back to England in 2012 to help look after his sister Marie.
Sadly in 2015 Frank suffered a stroke and began to suffer with Dementia and Parkinson’s disease which left him immobile.
Moving to Village 135 enabled Frank to have the care he needed alongside the love and support he received from Carol. He had a wonderful second ‘family’ of carers, who the family cannot thank enough, that not only helped him through the good and bad days but also  shared a good laugh with him .
Sadly on the 21st December 2020 Frank lost his battle for life at the age of 82.
Frank will always be remembered as the Best of Men, sometimes as the quietest, sometimes the funniest, sometimes as mischievous, but always welcoming, always Convivial, and more often than not always smiling. He brought out the best in life.
He was a great and loyal friend to all he knew.
He was a Loving Husband and a Great Family man, always there for (and Immensely proud of) Kirsty his daughter as well as Tim and Mike, his stepsons.
He doted on all his grandchildren Toby, Lucy, Felicity, Kyle, and Alanah (despite sometimes telling them off when the football was on and they were being noisy). He loved playing tricks on them.
He was equally content in his own space (with his nose in a good book, doing crosswords, following his beloved Manchester City or pottering around) as he was socialising with and entertaining friends.
He loved all types music, especially that of his own daughter Kirsty.
Frank is survived by his Wife Carol, his daughter Kirsty and younger sister Anne.