William Franklin Allen, better known as “Frankie,” was born on January 19, 1959, at old Riverside Hospital in Newport News, Va. He was a free-spirited soul with a heart of gold. He never met a stranger. He was a renowned wood craftsman and, in a way, a jack-of-many-trades; there was not much he couldn’t do. He was thoughtful and cared about others. Whether ordering pizzas for the ladies at the doctor’s office or handing out five-dollar bills to random children in a gas station, he always wanted to brighten someone’s day. In recent years, he has spent many days working the James River with his brother, Jimmy; there were not many places where he would rather be. He loved working on his old pickup truck and wandering through a good thrift store to find hidden gems. He will always be remembered as a good man with a mischievous side, and he could always make you laugh. He was one-of-a-kind, and there will never be another like him.