Jean Hirsch Frank

Jean “Sweetie” Hirsch Frank passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love. Cherished wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend to everyone she encountered in her full century of life, Jean was a beautiful, vivacious, caring person with an impeccable memory and a smile that filled the room. If you met her once, she never forgot you – and vice versa.

Born at Touro hospital nearly 100 years ago to Leo Levy Hirsch and Sara Lazard Hirsch, Jean was the youngest of three sisters (Irma Rosenthal Ackerman and Leola Roos). A graduate of Newcomb College, she married her childhood sweetheart and the love of her life, Charles W. Frank, Jr. (1922-2011) on May 1, 1943 – one week before he left to serve in World War II aboard the battleship New Jersey.

Over their seven decades of marriage, Jean and Charles (aka Chicken and Dumplings) traversed the globe together, visiting its most remote regions in search of adventure – and in pursuit of his passion for birds, wildlife and outdoor sportsmanship. From the jungles of Africa to the tundra of Antarctica, to their favorite local haunts in New Orleans, the pair of explorers found joy, love and laughter on all continents.

Jean continued to live independently and drive well into her late 90s, living up to her nickname, “The Roadrunner.” Even following the death of her beloved Charles in 2011, she woke up every day with a positive attitude and a busy schedule of activities. On her 99th birthday, she went to her favorite jazz brunch at Buffa’s, followed by a crawfish boil at Joey K’s, with time for a cocktail party in between.

Jean loved parties, and even in her final days, she continued to host friends and family for warm convivial meals, complete with charming table décor. An athletic and active woman, she maintained the same svelte weight and tall stature her entire life. She was a talented golfer and bridge player with a “head for numbers,” who kept extensive bookkeeping records and followed the stock market daily.

Jean is predeceased by her soulmate of 68.5 years, Charles W. Frank, Jr. and daughter Cristine L. Frank. She is survived by her daughter India Frank of New York, granddaughter Merritt Birnbaum and her husband Luis Espinoza of New York (who Jean lovingly called her grandson), and many extended relatives across generations and geography. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of names, dates and places – and if you chatted with her for long enough, she would figure out how she was related to you. In the end, though, whether you were a stranger or family, Jean was happy to know you and to include you in her circle.

A service celebrating Jean’s life will be held at Temple Sinai on the occasion of her 100th birthday, May 8, 2023, at 11:30am. Friends may visit the family from 11:00am until time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild at PO Box 7596

Metairie, LA 70010, or Riverside Park Conservancy at 475 Riverside Drive, Ste 455, New York, NY 10115.