Obituary of Frances Donowitz

Frances Donowitz (nee Entin) of Freehold died Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at age 90. In June she celebrated her 90th birthday with her three children, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren, two daughters-in-law and son-in-law, grand daughter-in-law and cousins. She immigrated from Russia in 1930 to Montreal, married and moved to Freehold in 1940 where she lived for 66 years, 56 of those with her husband Saul who died 10 years ago. She contributed to the Freehold community, particularly related to the county library, which she saw as the central focus of the county’s educational and cultural life and served as the leader of a citizens group which presented the Freeholder’s with a petition signed by 15000 citizens which led to the building of the largest library of the state library system. She was the founding President of the Friends of the Library from the inception of this group until her death. She was proud of her ability to raise money for a statue for the library via many fund raisers via the Friends of the Library (through luncheons, bake, flower, and cookbook sales, and the sale of hand knitted hats). For many years she devoted herself to raising her children and was a partner with her husband in running a farm, but her proudest accomplishment was in seeing her 3 children become successful physicians. Her ability to encourage and to support her children with her upbeat spirit continued until the day she died. She had warm relationships with her son-in-law and daughter-in-laws and cherished her relationships with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by her 3 children (Mark, of Baltimore, MD, the LeBoff Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and current President of the American Gastroenterological Association. Gerald, of Charlottesville, a Physician at the University of Virginia, where he is Associate Chairman of Medicine. Arlene, an Internist in Chattanooga who is vice Chief-of-Staff of Memorial Hospital), son-in-law, Dr. J.R. Clark, daughters-in-law Jacqueline and Peggie, grandchildren Jeff, Michael, Nick, and Paul, granddaughter-in-law Tina, and great grandchildren Jacob, Emma and Clara. Funeral services will be held at the Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center Street, Freehold on Friday at 10:00A.M. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Friends of the Monmouth Country Library Association Art Fund, 125 Symmes Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726.