Frank Michael Brault

Frank M. Brault

December 19, 1937 – December 18, 2022 (age 84)

“He treated the stars as though they were love songs written to him by God.” ―Pat Conroy

Frank M. Brault, known to family and friends as “Chip,” passed away at his home in Bluffton, South Carolina, one day before his eighty-fifth birthday. Frank was born in Ogdensburg, New York, and raised in Potsdam, New York, by his parents Emile Brault and Alpha Dumas Brault. He graduated in 1959 from Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial College of Technology in Potsdam, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. At Clarkson, he was a proud member of Sigma Delta fraternity, and he was a Department of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Distinguished Military Graduate.

Fresh out of college, he moved to New York City to take a job with Arthur Young, living in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights with a group of other young graduates. Soon after, he moved to Rochester, New York, to start work with Eastman Kodak. While there he met a fellow Kodak employee, Joan Haitz, and they married six months later, on New Year’s Eve 1960. A highlight of his time with Eastman Kodak was being selected to work at the Kodak Pavilion in New York City during the 1964-1965 World’s Fair. There were also transfers to San Francisco and Atlanta, allowing him the experience of living all over the country. He remained with Eastman Kodak his entire career, until retirement, and was a true Kodak man. His refrigerator was filled with yellow boxes of film, and he always had a camera in his hand. Even after retirement, he remained a Kodak man, thoroughly enjoying his monthly luncheons with his Kodak buddies.

His cameras and all that film came in handy during his travels, which he always documented. He enjoyed traveling through Europe, but what he loved most of all was hooking up the Coleman pop-up camper to the family car and taking off on adventures, with a goal of camping in as many National Parks as possible. In addition to photography and camping, he loved hiking, fishing, and throwing the ball in the backyard.

An avid sports fan, he played hockey growing up, and he played softball with a Kodak team. Above all, he was a die-hard University of Georgia Bulldogs fan. His Saturdays in the fall revolved around watching his beloved Dawgs play. He was honored to have been selected to present the Kodak All-American award to UGA players who were members of the 1980 National Championship team.

In addition to his love of sports and the outdoors, he was a voracious reader, usually finishing a book every few days. His shelves were filled with books, with a focus on biographies and historical fiction.

Frank is survived by his wife of almost sixty-two years, Joan Brault; his daughters Carolyn Seefer (Chip) and Susan Smith (Gary); his grandchildren Jake Seefer (Alison), Stephanie Cowman (Nick), Scott Smith (Evie), Kelli Smith (Andrew), Kristi Smith, and Mitchell Smith; his great-grandchildren Bryson Smith, Jack Cowman, and Kessa-Jo Smith; his sister-in-law Brenda Royka; his nephew Rich Royka (Licia); and his niece Kris Bertrand (Mike).

Quite simply, Frank Brault loved life. He adored his family and was fiercely loyal to his friends. He always had a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye, a ready laugh, a kind word, and a good story to tell. He will be deeply missed and forever loved.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

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