Albert "Butch" Frates, 84, of Payette, Idaho, passed away on November 11, 2022, at Edgewood Care Facility in Fruitland, Idaho.

Albert was born on October 22, 1938, in Salt Lake City, the sixth of eleven children born to Albert and Marian (Ackerman) Frates. The family relocated to the Oregon Slope where he attended Pioneer School and graduated from Ontario High School in 1957. He joined the National Guard 116th Cavalry Unit in Payette, Idaho. That same year, he met Joyce Elaine Stephan at the Ontario roller rink, and they enjoyed two years of smooth skating until June 26 of 1959 when they were married.

On their wedding day, his sisters-in-law stole his car keys and required that he push Joyce up and down Main Street in a wheelbarrow to earn them back. Despite that hazing, they remained married for 64 years. Albert and Joyce had three children: Gregory Frates (Chris), Charles Frates, Lisa Frates-Weinburger (Mitchell), grandchildren Austin Frates and Clare Kafoglis, Albert S. Frates (Melissa) and Carrie Frates-Tompkins (Stephen), Dan Weinburger and Dillon Weinburger. This summer, he welcomed a great grandson, James Albert Frates.

Albert enjoyed family gatherings, large and small. He especially enjoyed Thanksgiving celebrated at the Hall with as many as a hundred family members

consisting of his parents, brothers and sisters, all their children and grandchildren, in-laws and out-laws! Albert enjoyed fishing, playing music (which he enthusiastically shared with everyone!), traveling to the Oregon coast, camping in Arizona with family including his mother and father-in-law, John and Beulah Stephan, telling lots of jokes and reciting a vast array of colorful poetry in a moment's notice.

He finished cement as a young man and worked for various contractors in Ontario and Payette until he and his brother, Brent, formed F and F Construction. They built homes until Albert retired in 2001. Albert came out of retirement in 2006 to build a home for he and Joyce with the assistance of his son, Charles and his brother, Brent.

In 1998, Albert, Joyce, Greg and Chris, developed and built The Hammer Stores/A&W Restaurant at Palisades Junction. He supervised its construction, worked as a store clerk with Joyce in the fledgling business. In 2000, they opened the Fruitland Produce Barn and built the Exit 3 RV Park at that same location. He supervised maintenance and repairs of the family businesses operating there for 20 years. Albert especially enjoyed working with his grandson, Austin, at The Hammer Stores and Fruitland Produce Barn. He enjoyed working and visiting with all the employees at The Hammer Stores over the past 22 years, especially Kamie, Mendy and Leonard.

Albert always had a smile and something to say. He was known to have a great sense of humor and a quick wit; if he liked you, it was almost certain that he'd tease or poke fun at you; especially his sisters-in-law, Judy and Jeanne (perhaps payback for the wheelbarrow incident!). He had a very strong work ethic and passed that on to his children and grandchildren. He was giving and helped many relatives and friends with construction projects or home repairs.

Among his many accomplishments, he kept an immaculate yard, washed and waxed his vehicles weekly, wrote and published "Frates' Guide to Footings and Foundations", taught himself to read music and to play the organ (which he loved to do loudly at 6:30 in the morning according to his children) with pancakes to follow, and as a 10-year-old, he was the Checker Champion of Salt Lake City!

He is predeceased by his parents, brothers Ray Frates, Delbert "Bud" Frates, and his sister, Carolyn Neil. Albert is survived by his siblings: Delores Olson, Joann Wolfe, Carmene Fosberg, Brent Frates, Sherrie Phillips, Suzie Davis, and Mike Frates. He loved all his siblings and his many nieces, nephews and in-laws.

Joyce and her children will welcome family and friends to a celebration of Albert's life on December 3, 2022, at 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm at the Legion Hall, 301 S Iowa, Payette, Idaho. Bring a story to share, a joke, a hug, or just a smile to celebrate a life well lived.

Arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette. Condolences may be made to Albert’s family at www.shafferjensen.com