"Bobo" Knickerson's Burial Fund
Donation protected
My name is Lea Williams, and I am a neighbor to a very special couple- Frank "Bobo" and Marilyn Nickerson.
On Wednesday, August 3rd, Bobo went to the great baseball field in the sky.
He and his wife do not have any life insurance or money set aside for his final resting place. They also do not have any family or close friends to rely upon.
Therefore, it has fallen on my family to make sure that this American hero is laid to rest in the fashion he deserves.
So far, it has cost us $1200 for the death certificate alone and we still have to purchase a coffin and pay the storage and transport of his remains. We are asking help from our friends to fund this venture and give Bobo the respect he and his wife deserve.
More about Bobo below...
From 1941-1945, Frank served in WWII as a member of the Army. During his time spent in WWII, Frank was moved around quite a bit. Some of the locations he was sent to included: Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fort Jackson, S.C., New Guinea, and the Philippines. During that time, Frank suffered from excessive drinking and Battle Fatigue which is similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. According to Learner’s Dictionary, Battle Fatigue is “a mental illness caused by the experience of fighting in a war and causes extreme feelings of nervousness and depression.” He noted seeing guys, “blown apart, cut in half, and everything else,” as the cause of his illness.
While fighting, Frank was injured a few times — a concussion knocked him out for a few days and he was shot in the leg — but none were life threatening.
His time in the military isn’t the only thing he liked to talk about. For a few years after the war, Frank was also a baseball clown with an act called House of David and for the Philadelphia Phillies. Frank mentioned that when he performed at the games, he was more of a physical act, which included twirling the bat like a baton, standing on his head, and throwing baseballs at the players. In fact, on November 1st, 1954 he set a new unofficial world record for "catching baseball from a high place" when he caught one from an airplane while flying 650 feet above the ground.
Frank and Marilyn met after the war and recently celebrated 65 years of marriage on May 18, 2016.
On Wednesday, August 3rd, Bobo went to the great baseball field in the sky.
He and his wife do not have any life insurance or money set aside for his final resting place. They also do not have any family or close friends to rely upon.
Therefore, it has fallen on my family to make sure that this American hero is laid to rest in the fashion he deserves.
So far, it has cost us $1200 for the death certificate alone and we still have to purchase a coffin and pay the storage and transport of his remains. We are asking help from our friends to fund this venture and give Bobo the respect he and his wife deserve.
More about Bobo below...
From 1941-1945, Frank served in WWII as a member of the Army. During his time spent in WWII, Frank was moved around quite a bit. Some of the locations he was sent to included: Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fort Jackson, S.C., New Guinea, and the Philippines. During that time, Frank suffered from excessive drinking and Battle Fatigue which is similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. According to Learner’s Dictionary, Battle Fatigue is “a mental illness caused by the experience of fighting in a war and causes extreme feelings of nervousness and depression.” He noted seeing guys, “blown apart, cut in half, and everything else,” as the cause of his illness.
While fighting, Frank was injured a few times — a concussion knocked him out for a few days and he was shot in the leg — but none were life threatening.
His time in the military isn’t the only thing he liked to talk about. For a few years after the war, Frank was also a baseball clown with an act called House of David and for the Philadelphia Phillies. Frank mentioned that when he performed at the games, he was more of a physical act, which included twirling the bat like a baton, standing on his head, and throwing baseballs at the players. In fact, on November 1st, 1954 he set a new unofficial world record for "catching baseball from a high place" when he caught one from an airplane while flying 650 feet above the ground.
Frank and Marilyn met after the war and recently celebrated 65 years of marriage on May 18, 2016.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lea Sixx
Organizer
Kansas City, MO
David Collins
Beneficiary
