Dr. Peter Frank

1944 - 2021

Dr. Peter Frank
March 24, 1944 - March 4, 2021
Ridgeland, South Carolina - Dr. Peter Frank of Ridgeland, SC has died as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash in Key West, Fl. He was 76 years old. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Patty O'Brien Frank ; their son A.J., his wife Allison Peacher Frank; and grand daughter Brenna Frank. Sisters Karin Wasserman and Erica Frank.
The son of German immigrants, Dr. Peter Frank was born in Vineland, NJ on March 24, 1944. He graduated from high school at 16, Temple University at 19 and completed medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Frank served the United States of America from 1969-1971 as a Captain in the US Army Medical Corp in Vietnam. Upon returning from Vietnam he practiced medicine in North Philadelphia primarily caring for under served communities.
His passion for medicine was strong but another passion was speed. In 1973, he and wife Patty co-founded WERA(Western Eastern Roadracers Association) a sanctioning body for Motorcycle Roadracing. They owned and operated WERA for 19 years. This was the start of a lifelong adventure of racing, riding and collecting motorcycles and cars. His biggest racing triumph was 1992 La Carrera Pan-Americana.
He, his wife Patty, and son AJ moved to Bluffton in 1980. Dr. Frank would serve as a family physician in the low country of South Carolina for almost 40 years, and was loved by his patients and colleagues. He had offices in Hardeeville, Bluffton, Ridgeland and Daufuskie. The town of Hardeeville recently declared September 20th as "Dr. Peter Frank Day"
Dr. Frank lived a life of adventure and diversity, and often was referred to as "The worlds most interesting man". He traveled the world, and touched the life of everyone he met. He loved his family, friends and patients deeply, and will be greatly missed. This is a quote from his recently completed memoirs..
"If someone were to ask me what life is made of, I think I would mention three things: time (as Benjamin Franklin pointed out), challenges, and family. I believe if you reflect upon my story, you will note that these three threads run throughout, intertwining, separating, and intertwining again. It is how you rise to meet those challenges, that will determine the trajectory and success of your life. Racing to me, is a metaphor of life. You and your team have finite amount of time to complete the race, it will be filled with challenges, some of them seemingly overwhelming, some of them potentially fatal, and you must reach down and grab everything within you to go for the win".
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, March 20, 2021 at Sauls Funeral Home Pavilion, Bluffton, SC. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The family suggests that all use this time to celebrate Dr. Frank's life by wearing colorful clothing rather than the traditional black.