Frank Childers, Sr., of Bainbridge Island, died peacefully in his sleep at home on Sept. 27. He was 96.

He was born on Dec. 9, 1912 and reared in Greenville, S.C. His fondest memories were of the many summers spent with his neighborhood chums at the local YMCA camp in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He captained the Furman University swim team, graduating in 1935 before embarking on a long career with SH Kress, “the five and dime store.”

At the outset of World War II, he enrolled in OCS and was stationed with the 8th Army Air Force Headquarters in High Wycombe, northwest of London, where he successfully courted Red Cross volunteer Helen Eicher, from Seattle. They married in England on Nov. 15, 1945.

After the war, Frank and Helen lived in Atlanta, where sons Frank, Jr. and Stuart were born. He jumped at the opportunity to transfer with Kress to the Pacific Northwest, moving his family to Aberdeen in 1950, where their youngest son, Gary, was born.

Despite the long hours of retail, he always made time for summer family vacations, highlighted by four cross-country automobile trips in the late 1950s and early 1960s to visit his family in South Carolina. In 1968, after all three sons had moved on to the University of Washington, Frank accepted a job managing the Kress store in downtown Seattle. They moved to Bainbridge Island the following year.

In 1970 Frank retired from Kress and at age 58 fulfilled a desire to own his own store by purchasing the Bainbridge Department Store, renaming it Childers. The store provided apparel to generations of island families until he sold the business in 1986.

He was one of the first wave of islanders to install a pickle ball court in their backyard, which received plenty of use over the years. Frank and Helen reconnected with old friends in England and enjoyed almost daily walks on Bainbridge and on Kauai, where for years they spent several months each winter.

He was known as a gentleman: well-mannered, friendly, gracious and generous. These qualities along with a well-ingrained sense of humor that he enjoyed sharing, helped mold his reputation as a cherished and respected manager. Although conservative by nature, he exhibited a remarkable capacity to grow and adapt in a changing world.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, in 2008; son Gary in 1995; granddaughter Anne; sister Catherine; and brother Prince.

He is survived by his sons, Frank (Mary Terry) Childers and Stuart (Wendy) Childers of Bainbridge; grandchildren Brant (Michele) Childers of Simi Valley, Calif., Cole (Stacey) Childers of Norfolk, Va., Katy Childers of Seattle and Claire Childers of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and four great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank Care Solutions for its extraordinary support and in particular caregivers Steve Myers, Mark Drasbek, Suzanna Lewis and Allison Hunter.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Oct. 17 at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church, preceded by a private burial service on Bainbridge. In light of being a frequent beneficiary of their quality care, Frank’s family urges a “yes” vote on BIFD’s upcoming EMS levy.

An online guest book is at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.