Thanks again.
I started reading 'Interview With The Vampire' by Anne Rice. It is a frame story. She has the vampire tell the story directly to the interviewer. It works really well. Although it's told only from the vampire's point of view, she still gets into the minds of the other characters by relaying what those characters told the vampire.
I can really see this working for my plot.
Before making my decision, I'd still like to find an example where the past is presented in third person.
I'm starting to feel the electricity that takes hold when everything comes together. Just a little more plotting and I'll be typing the words "Chapter One".