Gerald Frank, 64; Jazz Man, Landlord

From a single house he divided into rooms for students, Gerald Roland Frank became one of the largest property owners in Seattle's Central Area.

"My father always said he wanted to be remembered for doing things his way," said his daughter, Dana Frank-Looney. "He truly believed that anything you wanted to accomplish was possible."

Mr. Frank died Saturday, July 6, in his Leschi home from congestive heart disease and kidney failure. He was 64.

Born in Detroit, Mich., he was one of four children.

Mr. Frank was an accomplished jazz drummer who played with the greats, including Duke Ellington, Little Richard, Ray Charles and Ike and Tina Turner.

To avoid the draft so he could go to college, at age 15 he lied about his age and signed up with the Michigan National Guard. However, his scheme was soon discovered and he eventually served from 1950 to 1952 in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis.

He married Teresa Miller in 1956 and settled in Seattle.

Former owners and operators of the Pink Pussycat nightclub in Pioneer Square, the Franks later entered the real-estate market.

Most of the houses the Franks bought were in the Central Area, a neighborhood that had been "redlined" by banks.

Mr. Frank's drive for equality led him to become the first African-American landlord to break the city's rental color barrier, welcoming black tenants in areas of the city that previously had been all-white.

At the time of his death, Mr. Frank's real-estate-management firm, GR Frank and Associates, owned 22 rental properties.

Mr. Frank is survived by his wife, Nancy Vasquez-Frank, sister Beverly Frasier and brother Maceo Williams, both of Detroit; and brother Raymond Frank of Seattle; daughters Tracie L. Mayer of Cologne, Germany, and Robin Hoard and Dana Frank-Looney, both of Seattle, and Windy Jenkins of Bremerton.

Services will be private. Remembrances can be sent to the American Heart Association, 4414 Woodland Park Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103 and the United Negro College Fund, 1305 Fourth Ave., Suite 608, Seattle, WA 98101.