Franklin David Belz, 92, of Eula, Texas passed away on January 6, 2025, in Abilene, Texas. Graveside services will be held on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Burkett Cemetery at 3:00 pm in Burkett, Texas with Pastor Richard Mittelstadt of Grace Lutheran Church of Brownwood, officiating. There will be a visitation with the family at Bailey-Howard Funeral Home in Clyde on Saturday, January 11th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Frank was born in Belton, Texas to Fritz and Anna Alma Belz on September 15, 1932. He graduated from Academy High School on May 26,1949 and married Anna Lee Duncan on October 14, 1961.

He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Brownwood, Texas. Frank served as an Airman in the United States Air Force, beginning his service in 1952 at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas and he proudly served his country until 1956. He received multiple letters of academic achievement while attending the USAF School of Aviation Medicine at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama. He was an Air Medic in the 1734th Air Transport Squadron and was stationed at Thule Air Force Base in Greenland where he was recognized by the Arctic Order, Knights of the Blue Nose and completed the Northeast Air Command Ice Cap Survival program. He was a Korean War veteran. He proudly worked for the Santa Fe Railroad as a Conductor in Brownwood, Texas and retired after 44 years with them.

His curious nature led him to become an inventor, and he held a patent for the Eagle II toy rocket. He submitted a request to NASA, and they thought so highly of the rocket he was granted permission to use the official NASA logo on the toy. He and his brother Fritz also held a patent on their invention of a mechanically batted toy baseball board game they called Mini League Baseball. Other improvements to existing designs included a boot jack, martin houses, bird feeders and drip irrigation kits to name a few. He was always building some sort of jig to make tasks easier to accomplish. He was an excellent woodworker and built beautiful custom kitchen cabinets for his son's home in 1993. One of Frank & Ann's most outstanding achievements was their prized garden in Brownwood, Texas. They were well known for outstanding produce, but their tomatoes were always sold as fast as they could be grown. This was always a source of pride for them as they were both children during the Great Depression so providing food for people was dear to their hearts.

Frank was preceded in death by his beloved wife Anna Lee Belz, his parents Fritz and Anna Alma Belz; his brothers John Belz, Frederick "Fritz" Belz, and Charles "Skeeter" Belz; and niece Sharon Belz. He is survived by his daughter Cindy Koenig and husband Charlie of Colleyville, TX; son David Belz and wife Jamie of Graford, TX; step-son Larry Templin of Salado, TX; grandchildren Chris Koenig and wife Helen of North Richland Hills, TX; Rachel Koenig and wife Jenny of Dallas, TX; Mackenzie Watson and husband Jerid of Irving, TX; step-grandsons Dustin Templin and Spencer Templin; great-granddaughters Olyvia Koenig, Remi Lee Watson and Riley Jane Watson; a beloved niece Debbie Reynolds of Fort Worth, TX and numerous extended relatives.

Frank's family would like to extend special thanks to his wonderful caregivers Doris Wilks, Erin Stewart and Brittany Ivy who were constant and steadfast friends to him during the last few years of his life.