On Thursday September 26 Patricia Frawley, aged 89, of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away surrounded by loved ones. She is survived by her four children Melissa Frawley, Alison (John) Gillen, Jennifer (Todd) Coniff, and Matt ( Kim) Frawley; six grandchildren, Colin (Kristen), Timothy, and Kaya Frawley, Davis Coniff, and Mary and Elizabeth Gillen; and her faithful dog, Lewie. She was predeceased by her husband, Earl Frawley, Jr.
Dr. Pat Frawley came from humble beginnings: she was the only child to a single mother, and throughout her childhood they lived in attics and basements of relatives in Chicago, Illinois. With tenacity and scholarship, Pat earned her Bachelors in Sociology from Loyola University in Chicago. After raising four children, she earned a certification as a Montessori teacher, a Masters in Special Education, and a Doctorate in Education from Rutgers University. She was an esteemed adjunct professor at Kean College and Rutgers. In addition to lecturing in higher education, she taught special education in Plainfield and Rahway. She then became an educational diagnostician for Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District. She served on the national boards of the Council of Exceptional Children and the Association of Learning Consultants and was a founding member of the National Certification of Educational Diagnosticians (NCED) and the New Jersey Association of Learning Consultants (NJALC).
In retirement, she became a Master Gardener while living in Westfield, NJ. She moved to Princeton and was very active in the Mercer County Master Gardener Program serving in several roles including President, Secretary, and head of the ever popular InsectFest. She was a longtime member of the Shade Tree Commission and also served on the Adult School Commission.
Pat was a multi-talented woman. Many children have been welcomed to the world with a Pat Frawley custom-made baby quilt or knitted hat. She was an avid birder, skilled baker, and passionate gardener. Every Friday night family gathered for Pat’s phenomenal homemade pizza. On holidays she had to whip up a double batch of cinnamon rolls so that at least a few would make it to the dinner table. She also loved to swim and spend time with family on yearly trips to Martha’s Vineyard.
Her family will be holding a Celebration of Life event in December when family and friends near and far can come together. Details to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting WHYY. Pat was a longtime contributor; she loved good murder mysteries and cooking shows. Bird watching brought her so much joy, so you could also donate in her name to CornellLab (birds.cornell.edu) to help birds in every habitat.