Frank J Tripucka

FRANCIS JOSEPH TRIPUCKA - 1927 - 2013Our beloved father, Frank Tripucka, passed away after a prolonged illness on September 12, 2013. Pop, as the grandchildren and great grandchild called him, led a rich and full life, having raised and nurtured seven children, twelve grandchildren, and one great grandchild.The son of an immigrant carpenter, he built his life as a career athlete, starting as a three sport star at Bloomfield High School. Frank went on to the University of Notre Dame where he played football on two national championship teams and went undefeated during his four years there at N.D. Drafted into the National Football League after college, he signed with the Chicago Cardinals, but after two seasons accepted an offer of $25,000 (very big money back then) to go to the Canadian Football League where he played for seven seasons as the quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was an All-Star in the CFL, and both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Canadian Football League retired his number.Thinking that his football career was at an end, Frank went home to Bloomfield to grow his family and to build several businesses. In 1960 he received a call from the Denver Broncos, a new team being formed as part of the fledgling American Football League. Frank was asked to coach the new team's quarterback and made a reluctant decision to give it a try. He would coach during the season and tend to his growing family and numerous business interests during the off-season. Once he arrived in Denver, even at his "advanced age", he proved to be a better quarterback than the players he went to coach.Pop became the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos at the start of that first season in the AFL and remained their starting quarterback until he retired in 1963. He threw the first touchdown pass in the first game ever played in the AFL against the Boston Patriots. He was named an All-Star and for many years after that, held several AFL records and almost every quarterback record in the Denver Bronco record book. In 1965 he was the first player to have his number retired by the Denver Broncos and his name was placed in the Denver Bronco Ring of Fame at Sports Authority Stadium, believing no Denver Broncos player would wear his number 18 again. In 2012, almost fifty years after his retirement, he received another phone call from the Denver Broncos. It was Peyton Manning asking if he could wear the Broncos #18. There was no hesitation. "Peyton", he said, "I love the Broncos. I had a great experience in Denver, and the fans were great to me. It has been fifty years since I had the pleasure of being the Broncos quarterback. I'd be proud to have you wear number 18. But one thing I would ask, see if you can get us back to a Super Bowl!" Peyton promised he'd do his best. We will miss you Pop, but you brought all you had to the game of life and built a legacy that makes us proud. From the Bengal gridiron to fighting for the Irish of Notre Dame and beyond, you left everything on the field, especially your love of family and friends. Frank is survived by his wife, Randy, his seven children, Dr. Heather Carr and husband Bill, sons Tracy and wife Karen, Mark and his wife Mary Jane, Todd and wife Michele, T.K., Kelly and wife Janice, Christopher and wife Nancy. Twelve grandchildren, Liam, Merritt, Ashley, Bryn, Tyler, Taylor, Tanner, Travis, Jake, Reagan, Shane and Nicholas and one great grandchild, Brieda Marie.Viewing will be at the Levandoski Funeral Home 44 Bay Avenue Bloomfield on Sunday 3-8pm. His funeral mass is on Monday at 10:30am at Notre Dame Church in North Caldwell. All are invited to meet them at the church on Monday morning. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the William Foley Football Scholarship Fund, c/o Steve Jenkins, athletic director, Bloomfield High School. 160 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003. For additional parking, please use the parking lots on Broughton Avenue around the corner from the funeral home.