Obituary of Lisa Joan Frank

RED BANK, NJ Lisa Joan Frank – who devoted her life to family, friends and charity – died on Wednesday, December 30, after a courageous, 22-year battle with breast cancer. She was 58 and lived in Red Bank, NJ. A memorial service for Lisa will be held on Monday, January 4, at 2 p.m. ET. See the links below to participate via live stream or by phone. Short in stature, Lisa had an enormous heart and lived life large. She would walk into a room with a swagger and a smile, and all heads would turn to admire the dynamo who had arrived. If you met her, you never forgot her. With her charisma and charm, she made hundreds of friends during her life, and she made time to stay in touch with all of them. Lisa was dedicated to her parents, Carol and Jerry; her brother, Paul; and her life partner, Steve. She called her parents every day, visited them frequently, and never missed spending major holidays with them. She loved cooking at home, dining out, bicycling, traveling, walking on the beach, and attending rock concerts. She also had a soft spot for furry creatures, especially her dachshund, Smedley, and her stray cat, Muse. Born in Jamaica, Queens, Lisa moved to Norwalk, CT, with her family at age 3. She developed a lifelong love of music, playing piano and drums – both classical and jazz. Her favorite song was "Let It Be" by The Beatles. An outgoing and determined child, she knew from age 3 that she wanted to be an attorney, following in her Grandpa Henry's footsteps. Lisa attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, and earned her law degree from Syracuse University College of Law, where she was a member of the Syracuse Law Review. She worked at several law firms and internet companies before landing her dream job as a business lawyer at ADP, a payroll company, where she stayed for 14 years. Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and had several recurrences over the next two decades. A fierce advocate for her own health, she would absorb the shock of these setbacks and then activate her vast network of contacts to find the best doctors and treatments, whether it was a gamma knife neurosurgeon in New York or a clinical trial researcher in Boston after the cancer metastasized to her brain. Lisa also found comfort, strength, friendship and knowledge in the Young Survival Coalition, a breast cancer support and advocacy group. She was a founding member, serving on its board and later as its president for two years. Her boundless energy and generous spirit inspired her to co-found a charity bike ride for YSC in 2004 called Tour de Pink. It has grown from a handful of riders raising a few thousand dollars in the first year to several hundred riders on the East and West coasts raising millions of dollars. Lisa is survived by her parents, Carol and Jerry Frank; her brother, Paul Frank; her life partner, Steve Klein; and her cat, Muse. Her private entombment took place here at Willowbrook Cemetery, 395 Main Street, Westport.