Frank Douglas Ratti (FDR), son of Frank P. and Nancy E. Ratti grew up in Bradley Beach with his three siblings, who all attended APHS. During high school and college Frank spent summers as an ocean lifeguard and surfer. At Montclair State College, he became interested in Marine Biology doing research at the fledgling New Jersey Marine Science Consortium.

Growing up in the Jersey Shore Lifeguard culture he ran for the Shore Athletic Club in the 1971 New York City Marathon and five subsequent Boston Marathons. In the spring of 1974, Frank solo rowed a Sea Bright lifeguard dory 750 miles on the Intracoastal Waterway from Pauley’s Island, South Carolina, home to Bradley Beach. That fall he moved to Oregon State University where he earned an MS in Oceanography and made Oregon his home. He spent ten years in the field of Marine Aquaculture at the largest attempt of private ocean salmon ranching in the Pacific Northwest.

He adapted careers in the winter of 1985 to become the Chief Investigator for the Lane County Medical Examiner’s Office in Eugene, Oregon. He spent the next 27 years serving in that office, retiring in 2012. He and his wife raised a son and daughter in Eugene. He served ten years as a Boy Scout leader with his church Troop 7, while his son advanced to Eagle Scout. He spent five years with Lane County Mountain Rescue and 17 years with Willamette Pass Ski Patrol receiving a regional award in 2008.

Frank became a Track and Field official during his son’s high school years and advanced to officiate at college events at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field beginning with the Olympic Trials of 2008 until the present. He was awarded a USATF National Award in 2023.

Since retirement Frank serves various community organizations, and has continued to “Run, Row, Surf, and Swim” throughout his life. Presently he is a volunteer mentor with Sponsors, Inc., which provides local post-prison reentry support. He also serves as Board Chair for Independent Environments, Inc. which supports the housing and care for developmentally disabled adults in non-institutional settings. Frank continues to live in Eugene, Oregon and remains connected with his Jersey Shore roots through a lifelong practice of correspondence and poetry.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news. My mother would say to me: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”Fred Rogers.