Sharon M. Fradkin October 11, 2024

Sharon M. Fradkin

August 9, 1944-October 11, 2024

On Friday, October 11, 2024, Sharon M. Fradkin of Stoughton, MA and Delray Beach, FL, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend passed away peacefully after a complication from a chronic illness. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Mildred and Daniel Cohen. She is survived by her husband Steve, her two children and their spouses, Michael and Debbie Fradkin and Robin and Marcia Matthews, her three grandchildren, Alex, Ethan, and Asher, and her two sisters and their spouses, Arlene Patterson and Marty Cohen and Roberta and Harry Zysman.

Sharon was born in Columbus, OH in 1944, where her father, Daniel was stationed in the Navy. Her mother, Mildred returned to Boston with infant Sharon shortly after his deployment to Korea and Sharon spent her young childhood in Roxbury, MA, making up games with her younger sisters and walking home from school and spending time with her friend Susan.

When she was 13, the family moved to Needham, MA, where she remained through high school and college, attending Northeastern University as a commuter. As a young woman, Sharon worked a few different jobs, including one as a medical secretary at Tufts Medical Center — a job she talked of often and applied to better understanding her various doctor visits and hospital stays.

On Labor Day weekend, 1963, Sharon and her friend took a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip to Cape Cod where Steve was entertaining with his band. Sharon caught Steve’s eye and thus began a courtship that included calls, visits, letters, and a lot of laughter. Their 58-year marriage included a shared love of politics, comedy, music, close friendships, growing a business, supporting the interests and hobbies of their children and grandchildren, and a mutual affinity for dark chocolate and ice cream.

Despite her involvement and passion for many things, mothering and grandmothering always came first. She was a great cook and the master of the Sunday family breakfast, and whenever she had a choice of what to do on a birthday, it always involved bringing family together. She was the very best “Ma” to her children, Michael and Robin, loving them both unconditionally. She was involved in their activities, always made time to talk to them whenever they wanted or needed and was the first person on the spot to help during major life events or challenges. She warmly welcomed Michael and Robin’s friends into the family, inviting them for dinners, sleepovers, visits, conversations, and advice (solicited and not!) She considered her children’s wives as daughters and her grandchildren as precious gems. She put the time in, letting them know early how important they were to her, and she prioritized those relationships as she had done with her children. She flew to Philly for Asher’s elementary school Grandparents’ Day celebrations, she and Steve parked themselves at Alex and Ethan’s youth baseball and basketball games, and she made friends with all the regulars who came to Alex’s musical gigs, which she also frequently attended. She called, texted, FaceTimed — whatever medium they chose — and she would talk about any topic they wanted.

In addition to treasured family, Sharon also had a veritable legion of friends, collecting them wherever she went and building deep and long-lasting relationships. And when a friend was in need, she was the first to run over a container of homemade soup or offer her help.

It was often said that Sharon knew everyone and that everyone knew her. She was a founder of the Stoughton (MA) chapter of the League of Women Voters, co-owned an advertising agency with her husband Steve, chaired the Chamber of Commerce, worked to help fund the new Stoughton Public Library, was instrumental in the development of the local Farmers Market, hosted a local cable cooking show, and worked closely with educators and administrators on Kids Voting, a curricular civics program in the public schools. She also made friends with strangers everywhere she went. It was not uncommon to walk into a restaurant to dine with her, and then be sitting alone at the table for ten minutes while she chatted with people she’d never met at other tables along her way.

Sharon spent a lifetime making the world a better place; she was deeply cherished and will be profoundly missed.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 15th at 11:30 am at Schlossberg Chapel, 824 Washington St, Canton MA. Interment at Sharon Memorial Park, Canton, MA. Shiva will be held at the home of Michael and Debbie Fradkin on Tuesday, October 15th, immediately following burial until 7pm and on Wednesday, October 16th and Thursday, October 17th from 1-5pm and 7-9pm, with a brief home service each night at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, October 19, 7-9pm at the home of Anna and Jamie Marx, Wynnewood, PA. Donations to the Stoughton Public Library (SOLA, Inc — supportourlibrary.org/donate.html) or the League of Women Voters of Sharon and Stoughton (lwvss.org/donations) would be greatly appreciated.

Sharon M. Fradkin Funeral Service zoom link (see below) will be activated

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5288320605?pwd=dVFjQlUzWmVDYmFhVGwwZkNVSXBLQT09&omn=88130177808 

 at 11:15AM

 (15 minutes prior to the start of the service)

 As a courtesy to the Fradkin family and all their relatives, it is imperative that upon entry into Zoom, kindly ensure that your microphone is properly muted, so as not to affect the audio or video.

  ~ Thank You ~