Family and friends eulogize Brad Frantz as loving father, willing friend, hard worker

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Once, after a long day's work in Rexburg, Idaho, Brad Frantz added an extra two hours to his drive back to Salt Lake to stop in Pocatello and pick up a transmission for a friend.

"He never even batted an eye," said Chad Poulsen, a longtime co-worker. "He said, 'I will.' He was a friend and a help."

Many of those gathered Saturday at Mountain View Memorial Cemetery to remember Frantz, 24, had similar stories of him as a loving father and friend who was always willing to help.

Frantz, a certified welder, was out to celebrate a promotion at work when he was gunned down Monday at Trolley Square, one of five victims who lost their lives. Also killed was Teresa Ellis, whom he was with at the greeting card shop Cabin Fever.

Frantz was laid to rest Saturday at Mountainview Cemetery, 3115 E. 7800 South. A yellow hard hat, decorated with stickers, lay atop his coffin, along with an arrangement of flowers. The funeral chapel was full, and some of those who attended stood in the hallway or sat in an overflow area.

Brad Frantz loved his 3-year-old daughter, Deijah, friends and family said. He worked on construction projects throughout the region, including the new LDS temple in Rexburg, Idaho.

"He was the love of my life," said June Wangerin, Frantz's mother. "He's my baby, I'm going to so miss him."

Frantz's brother Brandon, described by many as inseparable from Brad, said, "There's nobody out there like my brother."

Dennis Haun, who worked with Frantz, said he had forgiven the gunman, 18-year-old Sulejman Talovic, saying judgment is God's work. Talovic died in a shootout with police who responded to the scene.

"As this tragedy unfolded ... I had to choose myself not to hold a grudge against that young man," Haun said.

He described Frantz as a motivated, hard worker who had started in construction as a laborer, moved his way up to welder, and through intuition learned how to operate a crane. His promotion was to erection leadman for Eagle Pre Cast Co.

"He knew what he wanted to do, and he did it," Haun said.

As she watched a video slide show of pictures of Frantz, many with his daughter, Debbie Barber said, "Brad was happy, full of life, he loved his baby."