Rosalie Frank
Click the button below to make a donation in memory of Rosalie Frank
Published in WestportNow on June 16, 2020
Rosalie Marie Frank battled ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) for over a year until the day she died on June 9. She was 75.
Born in 1944 to Rosalia and Antonino Calabrese in San Fratello, a small village in Sicily, Italy, she immigrated with her family to the United States in 1955.
They passed through Ellis Island and eventually moved to New Jersey. She met Rocco J. Frank in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and they married in 1965.
They moved to Westport in 1982 where she and her veterinarian husband, Rocco, founded Westport Animal Hospital and continued together their life’s calling of helping countless animals.
Her patience, love, and capacity for forgiveness were only exceeded by her warmth, hospitality and willingness to help anyone in need.
She was affiliated with several charities such as Friends of Animals and PAWS (Pet Animal Welfare Society, Inc.) and assisted in the challenging task of finding loving homes for hundreds of greyhounds and other homeless animals.
She loved cooking and being around her family, especially her grandchildren.
In addition to her husband Dr. Frank, she is survived by her sister Angelina Caruso of Palisades Park New Jersey, the last of her eight siblings, her four children Dr. Samuel Frank, Rocco Frank Jr., Gina Hackett, and Joseph Frank, and her grandchildren Andrew Frank, Rachel Frank, John Frank, Chloe Hackett, Alex Hackett, and Daisy Hackett. She is also survived by her daughters-in-law Taylor Flack, Terri Finch, Tiffany Lee, and her son-in- law William Hackett, as well as many nieces and nephews. All will miss her deeply.
Her pets who were near to her heart were Brandy the poodle, Heidi, the Afghan, Angel the German shepherd, Rocky the Jag terrier, Tank the Colorado bulldog, Lucky the mixed breed Chihuahua, Kelly the husky and her cats Leonessa and Mercy. The pets she left behind are Charlie the Chihuahua, Stella the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Meatloaf the guinea pig and Marley the Lab mix with whom she spent her last days.
Her family requests that any donations please be made to Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that helps those battling this relentless disease and was of great help during Rosalie’s fight with ALS. Special thanks to Chris Curtain at CCALS.org, and the amazing nurses and aides at RVNA (Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association).
Due to Covid-19, services will be announced and held at a later date.
