A Jan. 30, 2026 memorial service has been scheduled for former Elkhorn Independent editor and publisher Frank Eames, who died Jan. 7, 2026 at age 96 at Holton Manor in Elkhorn.
An obituary appeared in the Jan. 15, 2026 issue of The Gazette in Janesville.
According to the obituary:
Frank was born Aug. 30, 1929, in Elkhorn, the son of Claude (Mud) and Alene (Desing) Eames. He was educated in the Elkhorn school system, graduating in the EHS Class of 1947, and then graduated from Beloit College in the Class of 1951. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1952-56. He was married in 1964 in Elmwood Park, IL to Patricia Fox.
Frank grew up in the back shop of the Elkhorn Independent and began full-time employment there in 1951 upon his graduation from college. He served as advertising manager and sports editor before becoming editor and publisher in 1960.
He sold The Independent in 1987 but kept the commercial printing part of the business which he continued to operate until 2016. Under his direction and that of his father before him, the Independent was consistently rated one of the top weekly newspapers in Wisconsin, winning the cherished General Excellence competition in 1972 and 1978. He was a member and past director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.
In 1962 the Independent, along with seven other Walworth and Racine County newspapers, formed Southern Lakes Publishers, Inc., a cooperative printing facility owned by the publishers that was the first of its kind in the country. Shortly thereafter, the same publishers combined their commercial printing operations into Central Printing, Inc., of Delavan — a pioneer cooperative operation.
A member of a number of organizations including St. John’s Lutheran Church, Frank was also a member of the Elkhorn Kiwanis Club, Elkhorn American Legion and VFW posts, Elkhorn Masonic Lodge and Madison Consistory.
A past director of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), Frank was also a director of the Walworth County Historical Society. He was instrumental in the formation of the Elkhorn Area Ambulance Service and served as its treasurer for most of his 22 years of service. He received community service awards from the Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, 4-H Clubs and Future Farmers of America.
Frank is survived by his wife, Patricia; a son, two daughters, grandchildren, one great-grandchild, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The memorial service is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, which is located at 104 S. Broad St. in Elkhorn. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Frank’s name may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church.
An online guest book is available at https://www.haaselockwoodfhs.com/.
