Sharon Eileen Frink

“Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” This quote from Shakespeare best describes Sharon Eileen Frink. An OCPS teacher for 35 years, she was Ron to her family, Sharon to her colleagues and friends, Ms. Frink to a generation of students – all of whom cherish her candid approach to life and her sincere joy in all she did.

She loved literature and she loved her students. Nothing made her happier than introducing young minds to the spunky Pip and unforgettable Miss Havisham in Dickens’ Great Expectations or to Shakespeare’s star-crossed, teenaged lovers in Romeo and Juliet.

Perhaps it was her dramatic classroom presentations that led to her interest in the Dr. Phillips High School theatre department. “Lights, Camera, Action!” describes her hands-on approach to literature as she embraced teaching English I to the theatre magnet students. Not only did she enrich her students’ academic lives, but she also became their greatest supporter in their theatrical experiences, chaperoning them on the annual Fall College Tours to New England and New York City, their competitions at District and State Thespian Festivals, and their performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the American High School Theatre Festival in Scotland. Ms. Frink challenged her students to reach their potential—even when they didn’t believe they had any; she was their enthusiastic instructor, their unfailing cheerleader, their wise and honest counselor.

Born in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, in her youth Sharon had the opportunity to live in many places (California. Turkey, Alabama, New York) as part of a military family with her father, Col. Horace E. Frink (USAF, deceased) and her mother, Eileen M. Frink (also deceased). She is much missed by her sisters Sherry Wheeler of Asheville and Kathy Frink (Orlando), and her brothers Skip Frink (Carrabelle) and Greg Frink (Dunellon).

A graduate of Winter Park High School, Class of 1972, Sharon, who earned a B.A. in English Education at FSU and a Masters in English from Nova University, began her teaching career at Walker Junior High School.

According to Sharon’s wishes there will be no funeral and no services.

Nonetheless, all who knew her will share the sorrow of her loss and the joy of having been a part of her life.

“Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,

That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”