Francis 'Fran' P. Befera, 82 of Duluth, Minn., died on Nov. 19, 2004 at home surrounded by family and friends.

Fran was born in Hibbing, Minn. on May 28th 1922. He graduated with a degree in engineering from the University of North Dakota. As a pioneer in Minnesota Broadcasting, he built his first crystal radio and started his own ham radio station when he was 17 years old. He ran his father's coin-machine business after the war until 1949 when he entered commercial broadcasting as an engineer at WMFG Radio in Hibbing. He bought the radio station two years later along with WHLB in Virginia and built three more FM stations, including KUSZ Radio in Duluth. As Minnesota's pioneer in cable television, he built one of the nations first networks in 1965 which is still serving Hibbing under family management as Range Broadband, a cable television and high speed Internet provider. In 1965 he formed a group of investors and constructed WDIO-TV and later WIRT-TV in his beloved hometown of Hibbing . He remained President and General Manager of these two stations until 1987. An avid curler, Fran successfully competed in many bonspiels world-wide and broadcast the results back to the States. In 1971, the team he led representing Minnesota competed in the U.S. Nationals finishing second to North Dakota. He was President of the Hibbing Curling Club and played a leadership role in building the Duluth Curling Club's new facility. He served on the Chisholm / Hibbing Airport Commission, the Duluth Airport Authority, and as Chairman of the Metropolitan Airport Commission in Minneapolis. He served as an officer in the US Army in WW II in a special forces unit called Merrill's Marauders slogging nearly 3000 miles through the Eastern Theater of China-Burma-India receiving the Silver Star and Purple Heart. As a Captain he accepted the Japanese surrender in Shanghai, China.

An avid sportsman and conservationist, he was a life-long supporter of Ducks Unlimited and other conservation organizations. He is a member of US Curling Hall of Fame; the Marconi Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame, a Silver Circle Award recipient of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, belonged to Merrill's Marauders Association (Lifetime Member); Italian American Club, Duluth, Minn.; past president of VFW 8510, Hibbing, Minn.; Elks Lodge 1022, Hibbing Minn.; American Legion West Duluth, Post 71; Knights of Columbus #1649, Hibbing Minn.; Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1510, (Lifetime Member), Hibbing Minn.

Frank is preceded in death by parents, Delmo and Rose, sister, Marlene Moran and son Delmo. He is survived by the loving mother of his five children, Claire; his special friend and companion, Renae; his brothers, Orfeo (Linda) of Baraboo, Wis. and Victor of Palo Alto, Calif.; daughter, Regina of Duluth, Minn.; sons, Timothy (Raquel) of Duluth, Minn., Steven (Mayra) of Coral Gables, Fla., Frank C. of Duluth Minn.; six grandchildren, and hundreds of devoted friends who shared his life.