Shirley Frant   Plympton and Kennedy

Shirley Geschwind Frant  was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn, NY in 1927. She attended public schools in Coney Island, N.Y., graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School as class valedictorian. She met Martin Frant, her beloved husband of 70 years, while working on the high school newspaper, and their romance began in 1946 when he returned from military service. They were married in 1948 and graduated as a couple from Brooklyn College. Soon after, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio where Martin attended Western Reserve University and they worked together as cottage parents at the Bellefaire home for troubled children. After Marty received his doctorate in chemistry they moved to Ossining, NY, where their first child Barbara was born in 1953. Their second child, Howard, was born in 1955. After living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for several years where Shirley served as President of Hadassah, the family moved to Newton in 1963. Shirley received a Master's degree in Education from Harvard University in 1965, and taught elementary and middle school in Waltham until her retirement in 1995. A lifelong learner, Shirley studied subjects ranging from French and Hebrew to art history and cooking long after her retirement. She loved hosting celebrations and enjoying time with her family and friends.

Shirley is survived by her husband Martin, her children Barbara Hecht and Howard Frant, her son-in-law Michael Hecht, and her grandchildren, Alexander Hecht and his wife Allison Rosania and Elizabeth Hecht, her sister-in-law, Annette and her niece and nephews, Beth, Daniel, Ben, Michael and their families. Her twin sister Leonora and her older brother Stanley pre-deceased her.

Services were held Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton on Thursday, September 27, 2018. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hadassah or a non-profit charity of your choice