Skip to main content

Frank L. Pyle Jr.

Frank L. Pyle Jr. 87, of Fort Wayne, IN, and formerly of Huntington, IN, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, at 7:17 a.m. at Sage Bluff Health & Rehabilitation Center in Fort Wayne.
 
As a youth he lived in Chula Vista, CA, and moved to Huntington in 1949.  He graduated from Huntington High School in 1949.  He attended Ball State University and Huntington College. He entered the United States Air Force in 1951, serving four years during the Korean War, and was based in Texas, Alaska and Oklahoma.  He was honorably discharged Jan. 3, 1955, and returned to Huntington, where he assumed the role of president of Utah Electronics before joining Pyle Industries, which was founded by his father Frank L. Pyle Sr. Mr. Pyle Jr. remained president of the company until his retirement in 1995.

During his tenure with Pyle Industries, Mr. Pyle was president of the American Loudspeakers Manufacturers Association and was campaign chairman of United Way of Huntington County. He assisted in establishing the Junior Achievement program in Huntington and served as its first executive director.  He founded the Huntington Catholic High School Rambler Booster Club in the 1970s and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from the community and his business connections for the school athletic program.  He also co-founded the Z-Place Pizza chain in 1970 in Huntington, which is still in business. 

He was born May 28, 1930, in Old Hickory, TN, to Frank L. Sr. and Goldie M. Neeley Pyle. He was married to Joanne Pyle, the mother of his children, and later to Evelyn Pyle. They both preceded him in death.

Survivors include five sons: Alan (Chun Gallager) Pyle, of Huntington; Mark (Sherie) Pyle and Kent (Ellen) Pyle, both of Fort Wayne; and Dean (Teri) Pyle and Joel (Paige) Pyle, both of Huntington; three daughters, Joan (Tim) Watson, of Walnut, IL; and Lori (Tim) Guy and Rise (Larry) Buzzard, both of Huntington; two brothers, William H. (Martha) Pyle, of Huntington, and Thomas E. (Carole) Pyle, of Tucson, AZ; and 16 grandchildren, Lindsey (Ron) Daniel, Andrea Watson, John (Joy) Watson, Michael Watson, Alicia Pyle, Taylor (Meghan) Pyle, Colin Pyle, Evan Pyle, Dustin DuPriest, Jennifer DuPriest, Adam (Kelliemarie) Pyle, Amanda (Jim) Koschmann, Alexandra (Tyler) Rosenfeld, Ryan Pyle, Max Pyle and Helena Pyle; 11 great-grandchildren; and five stepgrandchildren.

Calling is Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at D.O. McComb & Sons Covington Knolls Funeral Home, 8325 Covington Rd., Fort Wayne.  A private memorial service will be held Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017, for immediate family only before entombment at the Gardens of Memory in Huntington.

Memorials may be made to the Allen County SPCA.