Wolfgang Wolf Franke

Wolfgang “Wolf” Franke, 59, Rapid City, passed away Thursday August 10, 2006 at his residence after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

  Wolf was born in Hoym, East Germany on Feb. 9, 1947 to Herbert and Ilse (Grube) Franke.  The family came to the US in 1959.

   Wolf served in the US Air Force from 1965 to 1969 when he was honorable discharged.  While in the Air Force, he met his wife Linda.  They were married in 1967.  They had 2 children, a daughter, Danielle and a son, Brian.

   Wolf loved hunting, fishing and was very involved in the Black Hills Speedway, racing, sponsoring and racecar building.

   In 1983, Wolf bought ‘Old Erv’s Home’, (foreign car repair shop) which he and his wife ran and in 1985 they built Import Service.  In 1995 Wolf went to work for Toyota of the Black Hills, working there until 2005.

Wolf is survived by his wife Linda Franke, Rapid City; daughter, Danielle, London, England; son, Brian Franke, Rapid City; his mother, Ilse Schiller, MI; 2 sisters, Linda Case, MI; Sharon and her husband Ted Rufledt, Rapid City; aunt, Helga Lotz, MI and numerous nieces and nephews.