Stanley Frank

Stanley Frank, at 91 years of age, originally from Brooklyn NY, passed away on Oct 21, 2020. He passed comfortably in his sleep, from complications of Parkinson's disease. Born into financial hardship during the great depression, he would occasionally speak of when he was a small boy and from his bedroom, he could hear his mother and father in the kitchen discussing how they would manage to meet the monthly rent. These troubling memories gave rise to his considerable ambition at an early age; and it helped forge the habit of aggressively tackling challenges with ingenuity and hard work, a habit that served him well his whole life. He often prided himself on his work ethic and would say, "I could work harder and longer than any man I know." He attended the High School of Art and Design in NY where he studied calligraphy, developed his exceptional artistic talents as a graphic artist, and during his time in high school, played on the varsity baseball team. He was an extremely fast runner, capable of covering a great deal of ground, and for this reason, he was positioned at center-field. In his senior year, he was made co-Captain and once considered trying out for his beloved NY Giants baseball team. In the evenings, during his high-school years, he would work with his uncle as a floor-waxer, and while working in these various businesses, he was struck by how much office supplies they all purchased. Stan was unable to proceed to College because his father was stricken with cataracts and temporary blindness. At the early age of 17, Stan became the sole provider for the family, his father, Isadore; his mother, Rose; his sister, Shirley, and himself. Encouraged by his mother and father, he founded the Frank Eastern Office Supply Company in 1947, and thus began his remarkable entrepreneurial adventure and financial success. His brother-in-law, Al Blank, also a successful business man and one of the principals of Paragon Sporting Goods in Manhattan, provided Stan with his first office inside Paragon. With the help of Isadore - who manned the phone while Stan went on sales calls, Stan developed his professional sales and negotiating skills. Drawn to direct marketing and advertising from his experience and training in graphic arts, he took his business in the direction of catalog and newspaper print advertising. As the business developed, he devoted less time to graphics, and did more work in advertising copy writer, where his appreciation for the written word began to take shape. He was one of the pioneers in his industry, developing a method of distribution called, "Drop Shipping" - essentially, taking the order, sending it to the manufacturer, and having the manufacturer ship the merchandise directly to the customer. Stan loved the idea of a family business. Isadore and Rose worked the business with him in the early years until they passed, and when he married and had children, his wife, Lorraine; sons David and Adam, and daughter Karen all spent some time working in the family business. When he became less active in his business, he moved to Austin, Texas, but Stan still remained dedicated to his work and retained the title of President of the Frank Eastern Co. until his passing. Beyond his business, Stan was a renaissance man. He remained athletic all of his life. His speed and agility eventually led him to become an accomplished tennis player, and he particularly enjoyed the fast-paced challenge of playing the net. He said it made him feel like a swash-buckler with a sword. Always a sports enthusiast, Stan was an avid fan of the NY Football Giants and there were few things he enjoyed more than his Sunday Football game. Seated in front of the big screen TV he purchased especially for Giant games, many a time, we would hear him literally shout out, "Yippie!", when the Giants executed an outstanding play. Throughout his life, he continued to maintain his skills in graphic arts; calligrapher, oil painter, water-colorist, but his appreciation for basic sketching with pencil, pen and ink was his most enduring artistic medium. While he always enjoyed reading poetry as a young man, and he very much enjoyed reading Dr. Seuss books to his children, it wouldn't be until his late 30's that he began writing his own poetry. By the time of his passing, he'd had built a respectable collection of poems, addressing all kinds of subjects and genres. And late in life, his appreciation of words and rhythm led him to a local chorus where he developed his skills as a soloist singer. Much of Stan's art has been scanned to digital format and is available for your viewing and listening on this testimonial page. We hope you'll take some time to visit and see the all the fine art he left us. In the last days of his life, as Parkinson's robbed him of all his skills and talents, he still managed to maintain his wonderful disposition. Throughout that period, he faced his situation as he faced all his challenges; boldly, determined, and with remarkable courage. While the disease may have deprived him of his life, it never defeated him. But all his successes pale in comparison to the love, compassion and dedication he showed his family. Love of family was a theme that resonated throughout his life and art. To him, family was paramount. He loved his wife, Lorraine, dearly and they remained married for almost 65 years, a relationship that was the envy of all who knew them. They had 3 children, David, Karen and Adam, and he consistently provided for them, cared for them and loved them to an extent that, with his passing, has made us all realize how lucky we were to have him for all long as we did. In later years, he became a grand-father to Chelsea, Dylan, Logan, Lauren and Jordan. He passed just before his first great-grand child, Jaxon, was born. He was a fine husband, father, entrepreneur, mentor, artist, and a truly wonderful friend. I doubt even his skill with words could express how much we will miss him, and how much we loved him. On November 19th, Friday at 1pm, we will have a memorial service for both Stan and Lorraine Frank, who passed within a few months of one another. You may join the memorial service virtually using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81989606675?pwd=VGd4cTFzNWNqY29TVGdwaHdvaXJCQT09

Stanley Frank

February 28, 1930 - October 21, 2020