Rebecca Coudret
Evansville Courier June 19,1987

Some people savor memories and just tuck them away, others such as Frank Wenberg of West Dennis, Mass, remember, and appreciate, and then let their talents convey their thanks.
Wenberg recently sent an original artwork to Fran Dice, director of the local Family and children's Service to say "thank" to the people of Evansville.
His story is of the "small world, isn't it?" type than dates back to his first few months in the service in 1942, and ends with chance friendships and connections in 1987.
"I was 17 years old, stuck in a railroad yard in Evansville on Christmas day." Wenberg said in a telephone interview from his East Coast home. "A railroad (yard) that far from home is not exactly the nicest place to be at Christmas.
"I believe it was the USO people who found out we were there, I'm no sure about the organization, but I know it was a spontaneous thing on the part of the people of Evansville. It was a cold day, and there was sleet and snow and it was very, very cold. It was Christmas day, but the people came out in groups to entertain and bring gifts and food and so forth --- and that stuck in my mind all these years."
Wenberg paused a moment. "It meant a lot to me at the time, and its still does, it's the soft of thing you can't forget, especially when you're a 17-ytear old kid. It's tough to be away from home at any time, but at Christmas time, it's the worst."
Memories of that Christmas nearly 45 years ago prompted Wenberg to offer an "appreciation painting" to Mrs. Dice, whose secretary's sister is a friend of Wenberg's in Massachusetts.
Mrs. Dice's secretary, Martha McBride, told her sister they had bare walls in the new Family and children's Service office, and "it struck home this would be a nice way of remember some people who were so nice so many years ago." Wenberg said.
He said he "decided to go ahead and do something, just because over the years I've been painting, and I'm not really into selling them - I just give them to people who might appreciate them. I just enjoy painting.
"My wife who, by the way is handicapped, is the head of an organization that also is a United Way agency, and it really struck home when I found out the Evansville organization was a member of the United Way. That was an added inducement."
Wenberg said he sent the painting "strictly for the benefit of the organization. This crazy because I'm not look for publicity at all; the United
Way is just very special to me and my family."
Mrs. Dice said she was surprised by the offer, but being an Evansville native, she knew of the other stories of servicemen who had been through the city - and left with warm memories. And, she said, "there probably are people in Evansville who remember going down to the train station that Christmas day in 1942."
She said the oil painting is an East Coast scene of the shore and a lighthouse. "We certainly have a place for this painting." She said. "He wrote and asked us if he could (send a painting) I thought it was nice of him to send it, but I certainly don't expect it to be something like this.
"On top of all the sentimentality, it's really a pretty painting."