Frank W. Hai

AUBURN - Frank W. Hai, 94, of 252 E. Genesee St., Auburn, died Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004, in Finger Lakes Center for Living.

Mr. Hai was born in Auburn, the son of John F. and Emma Schoeffel Hai and was a communicant of St. Alphonsus Church. As a young man he worked in his father's restaurant, Hai's Restaurant, and managed the Jefferson Theater. He met his future wife, Eleanor F. Currier, while at the theater, and they were married for 62 years. She predeceased him in 2000. Together they owned and operated Hai's Liquor Store for 30 years. Mr. Hai was a member of the Auburn Elks Lodge for more than 60 years and was past Exalted Ruler.

He is survived by two children, John J. Hai and his wife, Ruth Ann, of Auburn and Elaine A. Peeters of Cato; nine grandchildren, Christopher Hai and his wife, Kristin, of Basking Ridge, N.J., Kathleen Bennett and her husband, William, of Auburn, John M. Hai and his wife, Nicki, of Auburn, Suzanne Hai of Auburn, Kimberly Rice and her husband, Chris, of Cato, Erin Jones and her husband, Chris, of Plano, Texas, Carolyn Davis and her husband, Keith, of Corinth, Texas, Johanna C. Ortiz and her husband, Saulo, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Melonie K. Metelsky and her husband, Matt, of Virginia Beach, Va.; 13 great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Robert Currier and his wife, Viola, of Auburn, and Raymond Currier and his wife, Josephine, of Auburn; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Nagle of West Palm Beach; and several nieces and nephews.