Edith P. Frank

Edith P. Frank passed away on April 22, 2025. She was born on September 13, 1936, in Dayton Ohio. Her Parents were Jewish; both coming to the USA due to the persecution of Jews in Europe. Her father Mark Plunguian originally from Lithuania, and her mother Regina (Gina) Rosner from Manheim Germany met in Montreal Canada, when Mark advertised for a typist for his Chemistry Ph.D. thesis at McGill University.

While Mark built his career, Gina was building her career as an artist. Work brought them to Ohio where Edith and her younger sister Claire were born. The family then moved to Princeton NJ in 1941, it was there that the family became friends with Albert Einstein. Gina spent much time at 112 Mercer St. creating a bust of Einstein and occasionally filling-in as his secretary.

Edith remembered her parents taking Einstein sailing, giving him rides around town, and spending time with him and other notable scientists and great thinkers of the day. She also recalled the many times her family presented Einstein with small puzzle games which he enjoyed solving.

Edith spent her High School years in Gilette, New Jersey, and went to college at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, to train as a nurse. After leaving the University she moved to Wilmington Delaware. It was there that she met Otto Frank as she got off the bus for a weekend trip with a Jewish singles social group.

They married in January 1959. Otto’s job required the family to relocate often. After living in California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New York. Edith and Otto had two sons, Carl, born in 1959, and Eric, born in 1961. Finally, they moved to Morristown New Jersey in 1967 where they lived for 48 years. In their later years they also spent time in New Hampshire visiting their son Eric, and daughter-in-Law Paula and their grandchildren, Evan (1994) and Peter (1997). In 2015 Edith and Otto moved to the Hunt Community in Nashua, NH.

Edith earned her college degree in 1971, studying nights and weekends while caring for her family. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she started work at Farleigh Dickinson University where she had studied. She was especially proud of her time working at the University where she advanced from a position of Student Counsellor to become the Director of Student Activities and later to interim Dean of Students. She enjoyed working with college students, guiding them both personally and professionally.

She also earned a master’s degree from Montclair State University and worked for AT&T and Mutual Benefit Life insurance Company. During her professional working years and in her many volunteer leadership roles, she always worked tirelessly to make a difference. Serving as President of the New Jersey League of Woman Voters, the Morristown Woman’s Club, and in Nashua of Hunt Community’s, Residence Committee, and in each volunteer and professional role she filled, she took great satisfaction in conducting efficient meetings. She was an excellent facilitator who always solicited opinions from others and was dedicated to reaching the best outcomes possible.

She was very patriotic; she flew or posted flags wherever she lived and often wore red, white, and blue. She cared deeply about this country, and respected and valued its diversity, free thinking and freedoms.

Edith loved to travel with Otto, loved spending time with family and was a very involved grandmother. She always reached out, always listened, always showed respect to others; and in return was well loved and respected by all who met her.

She leaves behind her son, Carl R. Frank and daughter-in-law, Helen R. West, her son Eric Frank, and Daughter-in-law Paula J. Frank, and grandchildren Evan J. Frank, and Peter G. Frank. She is predeceased by her parents Mark and Gina Plunguian, her sister Claire Gilbert, and Otto Frank, her husband of 62 years.

In Lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the: American Diabetes Association P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023 askada@diabetes.org 1-800-342-2383