Died: July 23, 2016
As was the case with a number of our classmates, I first met Frank during freshman football, where we were among a sizable number of aspirants who were inescapably in the shadow of the big Jim’s: Groninger and Howard. Ever hopeful of an opportunity to shine, we awaited our chances on the field of battle, and though Frank’s achievements exceeded my own, neither of us was ever a threat to G. and H. Frank went on to play varsity ball under Carm Cozza, whom Frank considered a mentor. Frank was a member of DKE and the senior society Bell and Scepter. At the end of our junior year, Frank married Carolyn Riordan and they soon embarked on building a beautiful family, beginning with son Franklyn (Bif), followed by Christopher and Paige.
After Yale, Frank entered Temple University School of Medicine, followed by specialty training in internal medicine. His leadership was recognized in his presidency of Internal Medicine, PC of Agawam, MA. It is endearing to me to read of Frank’s resistance to the electronic medical record which, for all its benefits, has had a deleterious effect on both patient privacy and the relationship between patient and physician. Frank, I guess we were just dinosaurs.
Frank and Carolyn shared a love of music and dancing from the beginning of their relationship, whether it was gettin’ down with The Duke (Ellington) or going upscale at the New Year’s Eve Kaiserball in Vienna, they knew very well how to punish the parquet.
Both Frank and Carolyn were proud members of the Porsche Club of America, Connecticut Valley Region, and they loved competition. Many was the weekend they spent at Lime Rock, Watkins Glen and other tracks, racing their Porsches with their children along as pit crew. Frank and Carolyn hosted a tailgate party annually, usually at either the home game with Harvard or Princeton, attended by several of Frank’s roommates from Davenport, and replete with excellent food and drink.
Frank grew up playing ice hockey and was an enthusiastic coach of his sons’ hockey teams. Later, he was an adoring and beloved grandfather to his four grandchildren.
Frank passed suddenly and unexpectedly in July of 2016, and no one that knew him thought it was time. He left us with treasured memories and a deep sense of loss.
Lynn Harrison