Sally Bernkopf Frank

Sally Bernkopf Frank, 93, wife of the late surgeon and inventor Howard A. Frank, died peacefully at home on Saturday, April 18, 2015 surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Mrs. Frank was born in Boston on January 10, 1922, the only child of Max Bernkopf and Selma Cohen Bernkopf. Her father was a prominent attorney in Boston. Her mother's father was Abraham K. Cohen, the first Jewish judge in Massachusetts.

Mrs. Frank was a graduate of Smith College. Following graduation, she married her father's surgeon, Howard A. Frank. They settled in Brookline where Dr. Frank became internationally known for his work on pioneering new surgical techniques and instruments, including as the co-developer of the heart pacemaker and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Frank died in 2004.

Mrs. Frank herself worked for more than fifty years at Children's Hospital and the Beth Israel Hospital, ultimately serving as the grant administrator for the Hematology-Oncology Department at Children's. She was featured in the Boston Globe in 1957 as the modern working woman:  Brookline Surgeon's Wife Enjoys Home, Family  and Work at Hospital; She Has Her Cake And Eats It, Too! She retired in 1998.

Mrs. Frank  known as  Sal  was first and foremost a devoted supporter of her husband and his work. She also was a wonderful cook, a loving mother, and an indulgent grandmother. But her life-long passion, which Dr. Frank shared, was in raising and showing Afghan hounds. Several of their hounds were international champions, while many more were U.S. champions. Mrs. Frank served as the Treasurer of the Afghan Hound Club of America.

She is survived by her three children, Anne F. Greene of Middletown, CT, Edward D. Frank II of Berwyn, PA, and John B. Frank of Pasadena, CA. She is also survived by her six grown grandchildren and a coal black afghan hound, Kaite.

Instead of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Howard A. Frank and Edward D. Frank Surgical Fellowship, in care of the Office of Development, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue (BR), Boston, MA 02215, (617) 667-7330, [email protected]. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, May 2 at 12:00 noon at The Harvard Club of Boston, 374 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.