Robert Arnold Frost Jr.'s Obituary
Albert Abel Frost, Jr., “Al,” a lifelong resident of San Diego, California, passed away peacefully at his Point Loma home on February 19, 2018. Born November 6, 1918, he was 99 years old.Al’s father, Albert A. Frost, “A.A.,” came to San Diego at age 7, a year after the death of his father, George Washington Frost, in Emporia Kansas in 1895. In 1896 Great Uncle Abel Henry Frost moved his deceased brother’s family to San Diego. A.A. attended San Diego High School and Stanford University and eventually met Al’s mother, Jessie Tucker, and they had three children, Gordon, Al and Helen.Al grew up in Mission Hills and went to San Diego High School. After he graduated from SDHS, he attended Stanford University, graduating in 1941 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Kaiser Steel until he joined the Navy to help with the war effort.He met his wife and the love of his life for 67 years, Dorothy Soyster Frost, (“Dottie”) in Washington, D.C. in the early 1940’s. He was a Navy Ensign and she was a government secretary from Long Beach, CA. They met at a military dance, and she mentioned she was taking flying lessons. Soon he was taking flying lessons and their romance blossomed. They were married December 16, 1944, and after the war moved to San Diego and soon were raising their children. Dottie passed away in January 2012.After returning to San Diego, Al joined the family lumber business, Frost Hardwood Lumber Company, which his father founded in 1911. When his father retired from the business, Al and his older brother Gordon operated FHL until their children entered the business. As the company’s import buyer, he traveled the globe to secure new commercial sources of hardwoods not found in the USA. He retired from the lumber company in 1981 and passed his baton to two of his sons, Bruce and Jim. Currently Al’s youngest son, Jim, along with nephew “G.T.” Frost, and grandson Byram Frost are active in the business.Al was also involved in civic activities and real estate development. He was the foreperson of the San Diego County Grand Jury in 1964, and Board Chairman of the Better Business Bureau from 1979-81. He also built the Beach Cottages motel in Pacific Beach.A sailing enthusiast, he was a founding member of San Diego Yacht Club’s junior sailing program at age 10 (with his older brother Gordon). He won four consecutive International 110 class National Championships (1960-1963). He raced in two Olympic trials (5.5M class; Dragon class). In 1961 he was admitted to the San Diego Hall of Champions. He served as SDYC Commodore in 1966 and Commodore of the San Diego Association of Yacht Clubs in 1971.He instilled a love of boating in all his children. The family treasured their annual Catalina Island vacations on the family’s classic yacht “Helen,” and particularly loved Cherry Cove. He also grew beautiful orchids and at one time had over 3,000 plants representing hundreds of orchid hybrids and variations.Later in life, Al said some of his and Dottie’s best days were spent traveling together in their motorhome. For over 20 years they traveled to the four corners of the United States, from Alaska to Nova Scotia to Mexico. In Mexico, they traveled as far south as the Yucatan Peninsula, and with son Tom and his wife Suzanna, had their motorhomes loaded on a flatbed train car for a ride through Copper Canyon, considered Mexico’s Grand Canyon. There were lots of old friends to visit and new friends to meet along the way.Al is survived by his five children (and spouses), Albert Abel Frost III (Vicki), Bruce Hammond Frost (Catherine), Thomas Christopher Frost (Suzanna), Caryl Frost Chabot (Burt) and James Michael Frost (Kimberly), as well as 12 grandchildren, three step grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, three step great grandchildren, with two more great grandchildren on the way!Instead of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to San Diego Yacht Club Sailing Foundation http://www.sdycsf.org/
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