Frank W. Rosskopf

Frank Winston Rosskopf, 85, passed away on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at home. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 from 5-7 p.m. at Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home on 15th Street in Gulfport. Visitation will also be held on Thursday morning, May 14, 2015 at Handsboro Presbyterian Church at 10:00 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Frank was born on August 15, 1929. He graduated from Gulfport High School in 1949 as a member of the football team, a Campus Favorite, and a member of the “G” Club. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1954, where he was a member of the ROTC, the Golden Gloves Boxing Team, and the Southern Tennis Team. While at Southern, he met the love of his life, Bobbie Jean Williams, and they married on November 29, 1952. After graduation from Southern, Frank served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army, where he served in the Korean War. He and Bobbie Jean were blessed with four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, all of whom affectionately called him “Paw-Paw”. They opened Joe Williams Electric Supply Co. in Gulfport in 1961, which they later purchased and changed the name to Rosskopf Electric Supply. Frank and Bobbie Jean operated their family business until they retired. Frank was a member and elder at Handsboro Presbyterian Church. He served as President of the Civil Service Commission for ten years in Gulfport . He was inducted as a Shriner in 1959. He was a member of the Gulfport Yacht Club and the Great Southern Golf Club. He was also a founding member of the MS Gulf Coast Big Game Fishing Club. In his retirement, he looked forward to meeting his coffee shop friends at Triplett-Day every morning and then meeting his afternoon buddies at the Irish Coast Pub. Frank had a life-long love for boats and enjoyed his many deep-sea fishing trips and weekend trips to the islands with his family and friends. Special thanks to Dr. Boyd Benefield and his staff for their compassionate and loving care. The family also wishes to thank Deacon Dick Henderson for his weekly spiritual visits every Monday. Frank was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Bobbie Jean Rosskopf; his parents, and his sister. Survivors include his sons, John Rosskopf, Regina Rosskopf and sons Chad and Jason Edwards; Jeff Rosskopf and his wife Lisa; Ken Rosskopf and his wife Nina, all of Gulfport, MS; his daughter, Liz Clemmer and her husband David of Madison, MS; grandchildren, Kristin McDevitt of Madison, MS, and Taylor Clemmer of Ocean Springs, MS, Jeffrey Rosskopf, Adrienne Rosskopf, Whitney Rosskopf, Madison Rosskopf and William Rosskopf, all of Gulfport, MS; and one great-grandchild, Carter Rosskopf of Gulfport, MS, and two more great-grandchildren on the way. Pallbearers are David Clemmer, Taylor Clemmer, Steven McDevitt, Doug Parker, Jeffrey Rosskopf and William Rosskopf. Honorary Pallbearers are his friends from the coffee shop at Triplett-Day and the Irish Coast Pub. The family requests that donations be made to Handsboro Presbyterian Church, 1304 East Pass Rd., Gulfport, MS 39507.