lthaca – Frank LiVigne passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Bridges Cornell Heights Senior Living Residence in lthaca, NY on February 23, 2020 at the age of 91. The son of Philip LiVigne and Frances (Guarino) LiVigne, he was born in Brooklyn, NY on July 6, 1928.
Frank graduated from Richmond Hill High School in Queens where he was the captain of the New York City High School Championship swim team on which he was the City Freestyle Champion. He left high school early to enlist in the Marine Corps in February of 1946 and was sent to Hawaii where he was Head of the Swimming and Life Saving Program at Ewa Air Station.
After his military service he married his high school sweetheart, Genevieve Nichols. They settled in Baldwin, NY on Long lsland where they raised their three children: Tom LiVigne (wife, Lisa) of lthaca, NY Christine Gillon (husband,Neil) of Palmyra, VA and Susan LiVigne (husband, John Gagstetter) of Baldwin, NY. Frank and Genevieve enjoyed 61 happy years together until her death in 2010.
Frank attended Pace University in New York where he studied Marketing, Advertising and Sales, and also was a member of the swim team. He worked for Long lsland City White Motor Company and ultimately started his own business, Bronx Westchester White Trucks, which he operated for 20 years.
Frank was an avid swimmer most of his life. He was a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach, NY he swam laps at the New York Athletic Club after work every day, and he was a bodysurfer in the waves at Jones Beach. He was a founding member of the East Coast Bodysurfing CIub. He loved to walk the boardwalk at Jones Beach all year long regardless of the weather, sometimes more than once a day. Frank loved to cook; he and Genevieve hosted numerous dinner parties at their house. Although he had a commanding presence in any room, he also could make everyone feel comfortable with good conversation, a warm handshake, a hug and his contagious smile. He was a generous man who dearly loved his family and friends.
The week he passed, his last words were, “Everything has turned out beautifully!”
ln addition to his three children, he is survived by three grandsons; Gregory (wife Katie) LiVigne, Nicholas LiVigne and Terrence Gillon; and three great-grandchildren, Jack, Sam and Genevieve LiVigne.
