Frank R. Vadala

Frank R. Vadala, 80, of Liverpool, NY passed away on November 3, 2022. Frank was born in Syracuse on January 26, 1942, to Frank and Natalie (Silino) Vadala. He attended North High in Syracuse and later enlisted in the US Coast Guard. He received a BA in Business Administration with a concentration in Environmental Science from Columbia University. Frank was a partner in Vad’s Bait & Sport Shop, a family-owned business on North Salina Street, where he became the first person in the area to offer fly tying classes. Frank was the co-founder of the Syracuse Chapter of Trout Unlimited and later became the Northeast Regional Vice President for the national organization. From there he went on to found Hackle & Tackle an international flyfishing mail order company. Frank was a member and on the board of over a dozen organizations including the National Society of Fundraising Executives and the Catskill Fly Fishing Center in Roscoe, NY. Frank was also a life member of the NRA. In his lifetime, he won dozens of awards for his contribution to the environment, including The National Conservationist of the Year Award. In his later life, Frank won numerous awards, including a mention in Time Magazine, for being one of the first to launch a website on the internet. 

In his free time, Frank enjoyed RV’ing and was a member of the Ononbago Winnie’s chapter of WIT. He also loved to fish, hunt, go to dinner and spend time with his family.

He is survived by his wife Gloria (Todaro) Vadala, and four children, Lori (Drew) Bizzoco, Frank (Debra) Vadala, Wendy (Salvatore) Benvenga, and Stephanie (Ben) Mendis. He leaves behind a sister, Kathy, brother, Anthony,  5 grandchildren  Alyssa, Natalie, Gianluca, Victoria and Domenico, an aunt, Angie Roffo and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, November 9th, 2022 from 4:00pm-7:00pm at Sears Middleton Mathewson Funeral Home. A Mass will be held on Thursday morning at 11:00am at St. Joseph’s The Worker in Liverpool, NY followed by burial at Woodlawn Cemetery, Syracuse NY.

Donations can be made to The National Kidney Foundation.

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