Frank Larkin ’57


Frank (deceased, see obituary below) and Jerrie Larkin were honored at the 2017 New Orleans A&M Club Muster.

In 1970 the New Orleans A&M Club began sending funds to the Association of Former Students to establish a Louisiana student opportunity award scholarship. At that time Frank Larkin ’57 was president of the Club, and Clarence H. “Six” Augsburger ’43 was secretary/treasurer. The Club was able to fully fund the remainder of the scholarship in early 1989, primarily from proceeds from LSU football game bus trips which were coordinated by Frank. Since then this scholarship has helped numerous Louisiana students, who are selected by school officials, attend A&M at a greatly reduced cost.
Some years later Frank became inspired by Matt Altman ’99, a young man whom he had met. Matt was a cadet in Squadron 14 from Covington, LA. Matt became ill with cancer resulting in a tumor developing on his heart. The tumor was successfully removed in surgery, but some months later cancer was again discovered elsewhere in Matt’s body. Matt received treatments for several months before passing away. Matt’s mother, Theresa Keyser, kept in touch with Frank and recounted in a letter to him what Matt had told her about the last time he was in College Station for an Aggie football game where Matt was able to reunite with all of his buddies. Matt said, “Mom, choosing to attend Texas A&M was the best decision I ever made. I love this place.” Inspired by Matt and his words, Frank established the Club’s Mathew Altman ’99 Memorial Sul Ross Scholarship fund in February, 2006. The Club and its members contributed to this fund, but it was funded in large part by Frank and his wife, Jerrie.

Frank’s inspiration also led him to fully fund his own scholarship in Matt’s name. On April 21, 2007, Frank and Jerrie presented this scholarship to Texas A&M. Frank also participated in the funding of the class of 1957 legacy gift to the Texas A&M Medical School. At the meeting to celebrate its 50th anniversary of graduation on April 20, 2007, the class of 1957 presented a $250,000 endowed scholarship in the name of John Mark Stallings, who has Down Syndrome and is the son of the great football coach Gene Stallings, who is Frank’s classmate and is one of the legendary Junction Boys. Because Frank was a member of the last fish band of 1952/53, Frank and Jerrie also funded the A&M College of Texas Last Fish Band Sul Ross Scholarship in 2011 and were also instrumental in providing seed money for the Club’s latest scholarship which was fully funded in 2014.

Frank Earle Larkin was born in Bauxite, Arkansas and attended elementary school in Eagle Pass, TX and high school in Seguin. He planned to attend the University of Arkansas, his mother’s alma mater, until he happened to go to a football game at Texas A&M. When the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band marched onto the field, Frank was hooked. Frank played trombone in the Aggie Band and majored in Geology.

Upon graduation in 1957, Frank was hired as a geologist by Humble Oil and moved to New Orleans. The job was put on hold while he completed his military obligation in the United States Air Force. He served for three years, two being in Japan. He returned to New Orleans and resumed his career as a geologist with Humble Oil, which later merged into Exxon. He met Jerrie Mathis, a Registered Nurse, and they married in 1966 and had two daughters, Ruth, and Martha who is class of ’96. Frank and his young family were transferred out of New Orleans in 1973 but returned in 1983.

Frank retired from Exxon in 1992. He has been very active in the New Orleans A&M Club during all his time in New Orleans. Jerrie has also been a loyal servant to the Club supporting Frank and Texas A&M every step of the way. Although Frank always possessed the spirit for the betterment of the New Orleans A&M Club, he has relied heavily on Jerrie for her assistance, patience, and loyalty to him and Texas A&M all performed with a kind and gracious demeanor.
In recognition of the many years of service and sacrifice to fellow Aggies, the New Orleans A&M Club board and officers have resolved to establish the Frank and Jerrie Larkin Service Award Scholarship Fund. Donate online here: http://nolaags.info/foundation/

Obituary

Muster 2013


Muster is a day to celebrate the camaraderie and the friendships, the triumphs and the defeats, the legacies and the impact thatTexasA&M Universityhas made, and continues to make, in all of our lives. It is also a time to honor those Aggies, those friends, family members, and classmates, who are no longer among us. Muster is the essence of the Aggie Spirit.

Dick ’50 and Dot Piner’s estate will be the site of the 2013 Aggie Muster hosted by the New OrleansA&M Club on Sunday, April 21. The Piner’s address is 4401 Patterson Drive in Algiers. Patterson Dr. runs alongside the Mississippi River. As of last year, parking is no longer permitted along the levee. You should try to park at the nearest spot available on the street and not along the levee.

To get to the Piner’s from the Crescent City Connection, take the General DeGaulle Dr. East exit and proceed to Holiday Drive. Turn left onto Holiday Dr. and continue toGeneral Meyer Ave. At General Meyer, turn left, travel approximately 15 – 20 yards, and turn right onto Holiday Pl. On Holiday Pl., keep going all the way to the levee, and turn right on to Patterson Dr. The Piner’s home is about 4½ blocks ahead and is approximately 75 yards past the intersection of Steeple Chase Lane and Patterson.

The menu for the meal will be barbequed brisket, sausage, boneless chicken breasts, potato salad, black beans, green beans, bread, and cake. We will also have plenty of cold drinks on hand.

Plan to arrive at about 3:30 PM or come a little earlier and enjoy the Piner’s beautiful grounds if you would like. This will give you an opportunity to spend some time with old classmates and new friends. We will start serving dinner about 5:00 PM with the Muster Ceremony starting at about 6:00 PM.

The charge for the meal is $20 per person, children, 12 and under, are free.

The deadline for reservations for the meal is Thursday, April 18. Please return your reservations as soon as possible. Give a call to an Aggie buddy and bring them along with you.

If anyone needs to make late reservations, needs help with directions or anything else, please call one of the Muster Tri-Chairs; Paul Schott ’86, (504) 376-4885, Scott Wolff ’88, (210) 478-2833, or Theresa Wolff ’89, (210) 710-5915.

During mealtime and before the Muster ceremony, we will show a video which highlights the greatest moments of the 2012 Aggie football season. Come relive the season with your Aggie family.

NOLA AGGIES SOFTLY CALL THE MUSTER

Muster is a day to celebrate the camaraderie and the friendships, the triumphs and the defeats, the legacies and the impact that Texas A&M University has made, and continues to make, in all of our lives. It is also a time to honor those Aggies, those friends, family members, and classmates, who are no longer among us. Muster is the essence of the Aggie Spirit.

Dick ’50 and Dot Piner’s estate will be the site of the 2012 Aggie Muster hosted by the New Orleans A&M Club on Saturday, April 21.  The Piner’s address is 4401 Patterson Drive in Algiers.  Patterson Dr. runs alongside the Mississippi River, and plenty of convenient parking is available along the levee.  The Piner’s home sits behind the JoEllen Smith Hospital and is a few blocks down river from where Holiday Place intersects Patterson Dr.

To get to the Piner’s from the Crescent City Connection, take the General DeGaulle Dr. East exit and proceed to Holiday Drive.  Turn left onto Holiday Dr. and continue to General Meyer Ave.  At General Meyer, turn left, travel approximately 15 – 20 yards, and turn right onto Holiday Pl. On Holiday Pl., keep going all the way to the levee, and turn right onto Patterson Dr.  The Piner’s home is just a few blocks ahead.

The menu for the meal will be grilled vegetables with rice, crawfish pasta, salad, meat and vegetable kabobs, dinner rolls, and pastries. And, the Club will have plenty of cold drinks on hand.

Plan to arrive at about 3:30 PM or come a little earlier and enjoy the Piner’s beautiful grounds if you would like.  This will give you an opportunity to spend some time with old classmates and new friends.  We will start serving dinner about 5:00 PM with the Muster Ceremony starting at about 6:00 PM.

The price for the meal is $20 per person, children, 12 and under, are free.

We need to hear from you by Monday, April 16, so we will know how much food to have on hand.  Please return your reservations as soon as possible.  Give a call to an Aggie buddy and bring them along with you.

If anyone needs to make late reservations, help with directions or anything else, please call Paul Schott ’86, Muster Chairman, at home, (504) 712-8010 or on cell, (504) 376-4885.

Club Information

The Club president is Sal Caserta ’93.  Sal’s email address is sal@gcscaserta.com.  Please contact Sal if you have any questions or if you have ideas or requests about Club activities.