Frank Dempsey is a character. “You like football?”
he begins. And before he gets an answer, the
Alabama-born former pro ball player launches into
stories of the old days. He tells about the night he
and some college football buddies scaled a high
fence to skinny-dip in a pool, how he used to pile
10 guys into his old Jeep, and the time his cronies
named him runner-up in a “King Ugly” competition.
“So I was pretty lucky to get Colleen — she was a beauty queen,” he says of his wife of 57 years.
Although “Friendly Frank” started his career with
the Chicago Bears, the six-foot-four 250-pound
linebacker moved to Canada in the 1950s to play
with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough
Riders. When he retired from football, Frank began
importing hunting rifles and shotguns, growing his
company to the largest of its kind in Canada.
Frank and Colleen, both 83, have been living in
The Kensington in Oakville, Ontario, for four years.
Frank loves its proximity to the town centre and
the lake. “It’s location, location, location,” he says.
“One block and you’re downtown.” Frank, who’s
had both knee joints replaced, will often ride his
electric scooter over to the neighbourhood coffee
shop or tour the downtown. He’s pleased that The
Kensington has made life much easier for Colleen,
who has Parkinson’s disease. “I wanted to have
a place where she could be taken care of if the
disease progresses,” he says. “So far, she just
has a little bit of a shake. But she’s so pretty, it
doesn’t matter!”
Their large suite with two bathrooms and a
fireplace looks out over a stunning landscaped
terrace. Colleen says, “This place has a mood,
an established air about it, and it’s so well-designed
and comfortable.” A former professional singer
(“She was on The Ed Sullivan Show twice!” Frank
points out), Colleen’s main interest is taking in
every musical and theatrical performance that
comes to The Kensington.
While Frank says he’s not a joiner, “I talk to
everybody. You can’t be four years in the Navy Air
Corps and have no stories. Did I tell you ours was
the only carrier that ever captured a German sub
and brought it back? It was the U-505. . . ”
As he launches into the details, Colleen remarks,
“See why I don’t need any hobbies? Frank’s a hobby
and a half.”
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