Obituary for Harold J. Frankel
Harold J. Frankel, 82, passed January 12th in Frederick Living, Zieglerville, PA.
He and his wife Judith L. (Sams) Frankel celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in March of 2020 in solitude thanks to COVID19, however their 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren sent their love via phone, Facetime, and Zoom. And with a 3rd great grandchild on the way, the family that Harold and Judith started is continuing to grow.
Harold was born in Brooklyn, New York as the son of the late Jacob and Rose (Polonsky) Frankel. Harold and his late sister, Dorothy, were popular amongst the local kids thanks to their parents running a local candy store. As a teenager, Harold gained local fame as a Duncan yo-yo champion, and according to longtime friend Howard, Harold would put on demonstrations that would have the candy store packed with watchers standing silently in awe of his yo-yo skills. In his later years Harold would break out his gold Duncan yo-yo and show off his abilities – he never lost his touch.
Harold is a graduate of Fort Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, NY, and later went on to graduate from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, NJ with a B.A. in Social Science and a graduate of New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ with a M.S. in Criminal Justice. If he ever got your ear, even if just for a few minutes, he’d either congratulate you on completing your studies, or encourage you to consider going back to school. He felt strongly that education, in any format, was critical in one’s own personal development. Between his four children, the group has earned 9 degrees, something he was very proud of.
His love of education led him to serving as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Essex County College, Newark, NJ.
His frugality led him to exploring career opportunities in which uniforms were provided. As such, he served in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and the New York Air National Guard. He was active in the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, starting as a cadet in 1954 and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
During a brief relocation to the west coast, he served as a commissioner in the Juvenile Justice Commission of San Luis Obispo County, CA. And when he and Judy returned to east coast to be closer to his daughter, Hilary, who was starting a family, he became a member of the Community Youth Aid Panel of the Juvenile Probation Office, Berks County, PA. He retired as a Sergeant of the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission, Trenton, NJ.
In addition to his wife, he is also survived by his four children, Cindy Sams and her children Alexis, Schuyler, and Chelsea, as well as Alexis and Jay's two children Miles and Gavin; Richard Frankel and his spouse Martha as well as their children John Henry and Lily; Edward Frankel and his spouse Elizabeth, as well as their children Maxwell, Sophie, and Bennett; and Hilary Lilly and her spouse Jason as well as their children Elizabeth and Addison.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Frederick Living, Attn., Amy Cummings-Leight, 2849 Big Rd., Zieglerville, PA 19492 or Civil Air Patrol, 111 Air Museum Drive, Reading, PA 19605.
He and his wife Judith L. (Sams) Frankel celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in March of 2020 in solitude thanks to COVID19, however their 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren sent their love via phone, Facetime, and Zoom. And with a 3rd great grandchild on the way, the family that Harold and Judith started is continuing to grow.
Harold was born in Brooklyn, New York as the son of the late Jacob and Rose (Polonsky) Frankel. Harold and his late sister, Dorothy, were popular amongst the local kids thanks to their parents running a local candy store. As a teenager, Harold gained local fame as a Duncan yo-yo champion, and according to longtime friend Howard, Harold would put on demonstrations that would have the candy store packed with watchers standing silently in awe of his yo-yo skills. In his later years Harold would break out his gold Duncan yo-yo and show off his abilities – he never lost his touch.
Harold is a graduate of Fort Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, NY, and later went on to graduate from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, NJ with a B.A. in Social Science and a graduate of New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ with a M.S. in Criminal Justice. If he ever got your ear, even if just for a few minutes, he’d either congratulate you on completing your studies, or encourage you to consider going back to school. He felt strongly that education, in any format, was critical in one’s own personal development. Between his four children, the group has earned 9 degrees, something he was very proud of.
His love of education led him to serving as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Essex County College, Newark, NJ.
His frugality led him to exploring career opportunities in which uniforms were provided. As such, he served in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and the New York Air National Guard. He was active in the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, starting as a cadet in 1954 and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
During a brief relocation to the west coast, he served as a commissioner in the Juvenile Justice Commission of San Luis Obispo County, CA. And when he and Judy returned to east coast to be closer to his daughter, Hilary, who was starting a family, he became a member of the Community Youth Aid Panel of the Juvenile Probation Office, Berks County, PA. He retired as a Sergeant of the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission, Trenton, NJ.
In addition to his wife, he is also survived by his four children, Cindy Sams and her children Alexis, Schuyler, and Chelsea, as well as Alexis and Jay's two children Miles and Gavin; Richard Frankel and his spouse Martha as well as their children John Henry and Lily; Edward Frankel and his spouse Elizabeth, as well as their children Maxwell, Sophie, and Bennett; and Hilary Lilly and her spouse Jason as well as their children Elizabeth and Addison.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Frederick Living, Attn., Amy Cummings-Leight, 2849 Big Rd., Zieglerville, PA 19492 or Civil Air Patrol, 111 Air Museum Drive, Reading, PA 19605.