Obituaries
Visitation, Funeral This Week for Army Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Socha of Wyandotte
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Major Frank A. Socha, born in Wyandotte, passed away last week. Visitation and funeral services are scheduled for this week at the R.J. Nixon Funeral Home.
Command Sgt. Major Frank A. Socha passed away Dec. 13 in his home in Colorado at age 48.
Socha was born on Sept. 28, 1964 in Wyandotte to Frank and Suzanne Socha. He was a 1982 graduate of Southgate Anderson High School.
He entered the U.S. Army in 1985. In 1987, Socha married his high school sweetheart, Brenda Leigh Necelis.
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Socha was the 26th CSM of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson. He participated in Operation PROVIDE PROMISE; Operation PROVIDE COMFORT I and II (Iraq and Turkey); Operation JOINT GUARD, Bosnia Herzegovina; Operation JOINT GUARDIAN, Kosovo; Operation IRAQI FREEDOM III, Kirkuk, Iraq; Operation IRAQI FREEDOM IV, Baghdad, Iraq; and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM V, Baghdad, Iraq.
Socha's military education included the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Forces Operations and Intelligence course, airborne school, ranger school, jumpmaster course, air assault course, Long Range Surveillance Leaders course, Drill Serfeant school, Czechoslovakian and Serbian/Croatian language courses, Artic Survival School and Summer Mountaineering course, according to freedomremembered.com. He also had a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies.
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His awards and decorations included two Legion of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Joint Service Achievement Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, Good Conduct Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Ingantry Badge, Master Parachutist's Badge, Air Assault Badge and Drill Sergeant Badge, according to freedomremembered.com
Socha was a member of the Special Forces Association, the American Legion, the National Rifle Association and loved the game of hockey, specifically the Detroit Red Wings.
He is survived by his loving wife, Brenda of Fountain, Colorado; his sons: Frank A. Socha, Jr. of Golden, Colorado, and Chad Socha of Denver, Colorado. He is also survived by his father, Frank S. (wife, Lynette) Socha of Morley, Michigan; and his brothers: John (wife, Christina) Socha of Trenton, Michigan, and Mike (wife, Amy) Socha of LaGrange, Georgia; his sister, Patricia (husband, Dennis) Trowbridge of Trenton; his brother Derek of Morley, Michigan. Grandson of Lydia Daniel and Patricia Baird. Also survived by a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a multitude of dear friends.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20 and 1 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21 at the R.J. Nixon Funeral Home, 2544 Biddle Ave.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at the R.J. Nixon Funeral Home.
