By Rebecca Goodman
Enquirer staff writer

DELHI TWP. - Frank P. "Pat" Sedler, aka the "Ice Man," hoisted blocks of ice over his shoulder and delivered them to customers' homes long before King Kwik's "Kwik Brothers" sang about the goodness of Home City Ice.

Mr. Sedler took over the operation of Home City Ice, his father's small ice-making and delivery business in Sayler Park, after the death of the elder Sedler in 1944, and built it into one of the largest ice-makers in the country. Today it includes 22 plants in eight states.

Mr. Sedler died Aug. 7 of an infection, which he fought in the intensive care unit at Christ Hospital for five weeks. The Delhi Township resident was 82.

His father, for whom he was named, was president of the ice company when Mr. Sedler was born. Eager to expand, the elder Sedler bought up controlling interest in the company. It grew until well into the Depression. In those days, most accounts were with residential consumers - all of whom kept their perishables in ice boxes.

Mr. Sedler, who grew up working in the plant, attended Xavier University for two years before enlisting in the Navy in 1942. He trained as an aviator and flew F6F Hellcats during World War II, making 43 aircraft-carrier landings.

He was part of a U.S. Naval show of force that flew over Japan after it surrendered.

But his father had died in 1944, leaving his wife and another son - Tom - who was a teenager.

Mr. Sedler returned to Sayler Park to take over operation of Home City Ice.

"Regardless of the time of day or night, he would run the block plant, deliver ice (and) check and restock vendors. In other words, he did anything and everything necessary to get the ice made and out to the customer," said his daughter-in-law, Connie Sedler of Bright.

The home business declined after the war until 1953, when it ended altogether. By then ice boxes were obsolete - replaced by the electric refrigerator.

That's when business shifted to commercial customers and Home City began selling ice out of coin-operated machines.

The company obtained a contract with King Kwik - an early convenience-store chain - in 1962. As the convenience-store market expanded, so did the sale of Home City Ice - from $97,000 in 1947 to $1 million in 1975.

Longtime Greater Cincinnatians remember the Kwik Brothers singing about Home City Ice on TV commercials of the 1960s and '70s.

Tom Sedler joined Pat in running Home City after he graduated from Xavier. Pat oversaw the engineering side while his younger brother handled the sales end.

Mr. Sedler didn't retire, according to his son-in-law, Paul Fellinger of Delhi Township. He continued to work until he went into the hospital. His sons, Joseph of Delhi Township and Michaelof Bright, help their uncle and cousins run the company.

Mr. Sedler maintained his love of flying and bought his first plane - a Mooney - when he was 52.

He was a member of the Western Hills Country Club and wintered in Naples, Fla.

In addition to his sons and his brother, who lives in Green Township, survivors include his wife of 58 years, Mary Jean "Muffy" Sedler; and three daughters, Diane Altenburg of Springfield, Va., Patricia Fellinger of Delhi Township and Susan Shauberger of Lawrenceburg; three sisters, Jeanne Cottingham of Indian Hill, Patricia Maloney of Delhi Township and Anne Broderick of Green Township; 16 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Services have been held.

Entombment was at St. Joseph (new) Cemetery Mausoleum.

Memorials: Margaret B. Rost School PTA, 5858 Bridgetown Road, Cincinnati 45248; or Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, 1802 W. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati 45239.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com