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September 5, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 9 AM at the Packanack Community Church, 120 Lake Drive East, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
Frank S. Almroth, an elementary school principal and college professor of geography who served for 42 years in the Westfield, Cedar Grove, Saddle River and Ramsey public schools, taught geography at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Newark State Teacher’s Keane College, and appeared as an actor in over 150 regional musical theatre productions, died September 5 at his home in Wayne, NJ. He was 88.
The cause was heart failure, said his daughter, Janet.
From 1957 until his retirement in 1988, he was the principal, sequentially, of Franklin, Grant, McKinley, Washington, and Wilson elementary schools in Westfield, NJ. He deeply enjoyed inspiring students to their highest academic potential, and advocated a strong theatrical arts program.
Mr. Almroth studied in the doctoral program at Columbia University, received his Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision from Montclair State University, and Bachelor of Arts in Education from William Paterson University. From 1948-1949 he studied at the University of Stockholm, Sweden, where he made many lifelong friends.
After graduating from college, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard, serving in World War II from 1942 to 1946. He was stationed in Manhattan, NJ, New London, CT, Cleveland, Ohio, Ellis Island, NY, and finally Portsmouth, VA.
Frank was an avid world traveler. In retirement, he and Stella traveled many times to Europe, sailed from Dubrovnik to Barcelona around the Mediterranean, journeyed with the Marble Collegiate Church of Manhattan to Jerusalem, Israel and to experience the Oberammergau in Austria. He greatly enjoyed being onboard ship traveling from Singapore to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, on another from Santiago, Chile around Tierra del Fuego to Buenos Aires, Argentina, again sailing up the Amazon River, and others through the Panama Canal, to Alaska and around the Caribbean. He led his family on vacations through all the US National Parks, following his earlier experience of leading Cooks Tours via bus and train from the east coast to the west as a young adult.
One of Frank Almroth’s greatest joys in life was music and musical theatre. In college he was active in the dramatic club and musical programs, and in his adult life participated in local musical productions, singing programs, and church choirs. In retirement he pursued his beloved avocation in earnest, studying musical comedy with the Broadway actress Rita Gardner and talented pianist Buddy Barnes at HP Studios in Manhattan. He appeared in numerous television commercials, music videos and films, and sang at Manhattan cabarets. A close look will reveal Frank dancing across the big screen in the Woodie Allen film “Crimes and Misdemeanors”. He appeared in many productions at The Barn Theatre in Montville and with the Montclair Operetta Club Musical Theatre.
Frank Stanley Almroth was born in Paterson, NJ on March 20, 1921 to Josephine Sisco and Martin Luther Almroth. He had one elder brother David. He was an active member of the Westside United Methodist Church of Paterson, and the Packanack Community Church of Wayne, where he served as the Sunday school supervisor and sang in the choir.
Frank and his wife Stella celebrated 59 loving years of marriage in July. They were married in 1950 in Altoona, PA, where Stella was born and raised, after being introduced by Frank’s cousin, and moved to Paterson, NJ shortly thereafter. Stella also taught at the junior high and elementary level for 30 years, and their mutual dedication to the teaching profession, as well as their love of family, travel, theatre and their beautiful home in Packanack Lake, were enduring bonds between them.
In addition to Stella, he is survived by his daughter Janet Robertson of La Jolla, CA, his daughter Kim Vanderwende of Frenchtown, NJ and his granddaughter Kristy Vanderwende of Wilson, NC.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Frank’s memory are asked to consider a donation to the “Paper Mill Playhouse”, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ 07041. Please click below on "Print out donation form" for complete details on how to donate. The Paper Mill Playhouse is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 9 AM at the Packanack Community Church, 120 Lake Drive East, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
September 5, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 9 AM at the Packanack Community Church, 120 Lake Drive East, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
Frank S. Almroth, an elementary school principal and college professor of geography who served for 42 years in the Westfield, Cedar Grove, Saddle River and Ramsey public schools, taught geography at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Newark State Teacher’s Keane College, and appeared as an actor in over 150 regional musical theatre productions, died September 5 at his home in Wayne, NJ. He was 88.
The cause was heart failure, said his daughter, Janet.
From 1957 until his retirement in 1988, he was the principal, sequentially, of Franklin, Grant, McKinley, Washington, and Wilson elementary schools in Westfield, NJ. He deeply enjoyed inspiring students to their highest academic potential, and advocated a strong theatrical arts program.
Mr. Almroth studied in the doctoral program at Columbia University, received his Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision from Montclair State University, and Bachelor of Arts in Education from William Paterson University. From 1948-1949 he studied at the University of Stockholm, Sweden, where he made many lifelong friends.
After graduating from college, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard, serving in World War II from 1942 to 1946. He was stationed in Manhattan, NJ, New London, CT, Cleveland, Ohio, Ellis Island, NY, and finally Portsmouth, VA.
Frank was an avid world traveler. In retirement, he and Stella traveled many times to Europe, sailed from Dubrovnik to Barcelona around the Mediterranean, journeyed with the Marble Collegiate Church of Manhattan to Jerusalem, Israel and to experience the Oberammergau in Austria. He greatly enjoyed being onboard ship traveling from Singapore to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, on another from Santiago, Chile around Tierra del Fuego to Buenos Aires, Argentina, again sailing up the Amazon River, and others through the Panama Canal, to Alaska and around the Caribbean. He led his family on vacations through all the US National Parks, following his earlier experience of leading Cooks Tours via bus and train from the east coast to the west as a young adult.
One of Frank Almroth’s greatest joys in life was music and musical theatre. In college he was active in the dramatic club and musical programs, and in his adult life participated in local musical productions, singing programs, and church choirs. In retirement he pursued his beloved avocation in earnest, studying musical comedy with the Broadway actress Rita Gardner and talented pianist Buddy Barnes at HP Studios in Manhattan. He appeared in numerous television commercials, music videos and films, and sang at Manhattan cabarets. A close look will reveal Frank dancing across the big screen in the Woodie Allen film “Crimes and Misdemeanors”. He appeared in many productions at The Barn Theatre in Montville and with the Montclair Operetta Club Musical Theatre.
Frank Stanley Almroth was born in Paterson, NJ on March 20, 1921 to Josephine Sisco and Martin Luther Almroth. He had one elder brother David. He was an active member of the Westside United Methodist Church of Paterson, and the Packanack Community Church of Wayne, where he served as the Sunday school supervisor and sang in the choir.
Frank and his wife Stella celebrated 59 loving years of marriage in July. They were married in 1950 in Altoona, PA, where Stella was born and raised, after being introduced by Frank’s cousin, and moved to Paterson, NJ shortly thereafter. Stella also taught at the junior high and elementary level for 30 years, and their mutual dedication to the teaching profession, as well as their love of family, travel, theatre and their beautiful home in Packanack Lake, were enduring bonds between them.
In addition to Stella, he is survived by his daughter Janet Robertson of La Jolla, CA, his daughter Kim Vanderwende of Frenchtown, NJ and his granddaughter Kristy Vanderwende of Wilson, NC.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Frank’s memory are asked to consider a donation to the “Paper Mill Playhouse”, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ 07041. Please click below on "Print out donation form" for complete details on how to donate. The Paper Mill Playhouse is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization.
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