Shared Note
| Shared Note: - Frank was born in the Hemingway home in Marathon Township. He was the oldest of nine children. He graduated from the tenth grade at Otter Lake a nd finished his high school education at Columbiaville. He walked the dis tance of four miles each way to and from school. He attended the Otter La ke Methodist Protestant Church. This church was a double blessing for hi m. It was here he met the Lord and dedicated his life to Christian servic e. He also met the young lady who would later become his wife.
Soon after Frank's conversion, he was called upon to speak in church es in the area. It is reported that on New Year's Eve in 1911, he preach ed his first sermon. In 1913 he joined the Methodist Protestant Conferen ce and was ordained in 1916. He came to the Lapeer Church in1918. In 19 15 he married Vina and they had two children. Vina was born in 18882 ne ar Otisville, Michigan.
Vina was a very active promoter of the Sunday School and for many years w as superintendent of the Primary Department. Many of the children cherish ed the Bibles presented to them upon graduation to the Junior Departmen t. In the early days of radio, Vina filled in time with piano or organ se lections. She was always ready and willing to do what she could. In 195 2, Vina suffered a broken hip and was confined to a wheel chair for the re mainder of her life. She died September 11, 1961.
In 1926, Frank Hemingway had a vision of a Gospel Radio Station. He thoug ht of the large congregation of sick and shut-ins that could not get o ut to church services. He set out to establish a station in Lapeer. On D ecember 6, 1926, the first Gospel program over WMPC was broadcast. The ex penses for running the station have come in by free-will offering of the c hurch members and radio listeners in the area. The station celebrates i ts 50th anniversary in 1976. Frank managed it from 1926 until his dea th in 1965.
On the 25th anniversary of WMPC, many tributes were paid to Frank. We quo te from some of them.
"If some day in the distant future I were asked to compose an epitaph f or Frank Hemingway, I would write, 'He went about doing good'". Edit or of a paper
"Taking an intelligent man, an honest man, a God-fearing man, an industrio us man, a sincere, friendly man, a friend of the needy, a public-spirit ed man, a good family man - combine these all into one and add a large mea sure of old fashioned tenacity and the result will so closely resemble Fra nk Hemingway that I defy anybody to tell them apart." A B usiness Manager
"In the field of his calling he has been the monitor, the advisor, the co mforter of many; a most potent influence for individual and community righ teourness." Cha mber of Commerce
Two of Frank's quotes of more than thirty years ago are good for today's s ociety. "Our difficulty today is that we look too much to Washington f or the solution of our problems instead of to the Lord." "The economic si tuation rests on a spiritual principle" 'Seek ye first the kingdom of G od and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. '" Matthew 6:33
Frank died in 1965. He and Vina are buried in the Hollenbeck Cemetery.
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