Perry Michael Frohne

Perry Michael Frohne, aged 66, of Star, ID, passed away unexpectedly on December 5th in Boise, ID, due to surgical complications. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who enjoyed more than anything else, Sunday family dinner. The seat at the table will never be the same…

Born June 10, 1959, to Carol and Waldemar Frohne in Fort Atkinson, WI, Perry spent most of his childhood in the Madison area and graduated from Stoughton High School, Stoughton, WI. He was heavily into sports, playing hockey, football & baseball, and was competitive in nature. As soon as he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the US Air Force because he wanted to “get out of Dodge” and serve his country. Perry was stationed in Germany, where he met his lifelong friend, Mitch Erdman. McClellan Air Force Base, Sacramento, CA, was the next tour of duty, where he met his future wife one week later. He met Jodie (Young) in February 1981 and married on December 18, 1981. Larry Porras, Perry’s co-worker, was the best man. He and his wife, Pauletta, became close friends, and many memories were made during this tour. The next tour of duty was RAF Alconbury, near Huntingdon, England. Perry’s firstborn, Nathan, was born in Peterborough in June 1983. Perry had an accomplished military career for over 8 years until December 3rd, 1985, and returned to Sacramento after discharge.

After his discharge from the Air Force, Perry worked for his father-in-law, Samuel Young, managing the business at Upholstery Unlimited. After several years, he had the calling to pursue his passion for history, and Old Abe’s was born in February 1991, and later renamed Frohne’s Historic Military. Perry had a passion for the Civil and Indian Wars (western) period and read hundreds, if not thousands, of books on the subject and history in general, spanning from the early 1700s through the 20th-century military. To say he was knowledgeable on the subject would be an understatement! The first Civil War show he attended was in Wheaton, IL, in 1991, where he met Mike Medhurst. This friendship lasted nearly 35 years, and they were like peanut butter & jelly, Laurel & Hardy, and Crockett and Tubbs; many memories were made and stories to be told…

Perry’s legacy lives on through his contributions to Military Images. The publisher said this about Perry: “New developments in technology and real-world examples of collectors falling prey to fakes deeply troubled him. He wanted to help the community develop what he called their “fake radar.” From that conversation came his column, “Fakes, Forgeries and Frauds: Arming you with knowledge and tools to combat counterfeit images”—and a title of Senior Editor. Perry’s essays appeared in Military Images between Autumn 2019 and Autumn 2023, making him one of the most visible voices advocating buyer education and ethical standards in the militaria marketplace. In 2024, his work was edited into an 18-page guide that remains useful and relevant.”

Perry leaves behind his wife of almost 44 years, Jodie, a son, Nathan (Allison) Frohne, three grandchildren, Madelyn (7), Samuel (6), and Elouise (4). Father and mother-in-law, Samuel & Gillian Young; brother’s Scott (Joan) Giltner, and John (Nancy) Frohne; brother-in-law, Lee Young; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death, two infant daughters, Beth and Samantha Frohne; mother, Carol Giltner; father, Allen Frohne; stepfather, Charlie Giltner; brother, Allen Frohne.

Funeral arrangements have been made at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 N Horseshoe Bend Rd, Boise, ID 83714, on January 23rd at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations to Tunnel to Towers Foundation https://t2t.org Sinise Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, https://www.garysinisefoundation.org or Shriners Children's https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en may be made in honor of Perry, organizations that were near and dear to his heart.