ANDREW G. FRANKS

Andrew G. Franks, MD, of New York City and Pelham, New York on February 10, 2008 age 100 years, peacefully after a brief illness surrounded by his loving family. Former Professor of Dermatology at his beloved New York University Skin and Cancer Unit where he taught and was a Chief of Service at the Clinic for many years. Dr. Andrew Franks celebrated his hundredth birthday on June 12 with more than 150 family and friends in Pelham, N.Y. where he lived with his family, and was an active member of the American Legion, Pelham Post 50, and the Senior Citizens Center. Dr. Franks was born 1907 in the coal mining town of Leckrone, PA, the son of Italian immigrants from Pisa, Italy. Despite his humble beginnings as a coal miner's son, he became a legend in Dermatology. He attended West Virginia University in Morgantown for his pre-medical studies, and because of his extraordinary academic excellence was recruited by New York University School of Medicine into an accelerated 6-year program graduating in 1932. That year he married Lydia Benigno his beloved wife for 70 years, who died in 2002. Throughout his career, he contributed to 3 textbooks and over 60 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Dr. Franks served as a medical officer in the United States Army as Colonel and was stationed at Lawson General Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia during WWII. While performing his medical service during the day, he completed a law degree at night upon the Army's request at Woodrow Wilson College of Law (now part of Emory University) in order to best represent those wounded and disabled during the war. He was recently awarded the Greatest Generation Medal in acknowledgement of his service for World War II. As one of the first MD, LLB graduates in the United States, he and his colleague and friend Howard Rusk, along with others, founded the American Academy of Occupational Medicine in the United States where he served as governor and was a medical legal expert in occupational medicine. He was also active in the Dermatologic Society of Greater New York and hosted its 50th anniversary and published a its Proceedings of 50 years. This past April he received a wonderful recognition from the NYU Alumni Association Annual Meeting for his 75 years of service to the Medical School. Dr. Franks was predeceased by his wife Lydia in 2002 and his daughter Norma in 1998. He is survived by his daughter Joy Catapano, his son and daughter-in law Drs. Andrew G., Jr. and Linda K Franks, who both practice in his original office at Gramercy Park, the longest operating family Dermatology practice in the United States. He is also survived by his 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. In his most recent years as a resident of Pelham, N.Y., he was active in the community and neighborhood, and loved by all both young and old. In 2005, he was honored as the Grand Marshall and led the Memorial Day Parade. He will be remembered for his unwavering optimism, integrity, compassion, and boundless sense of humor which inspired not only his family, but all those who came in contact with him. In celebration of his life, viewing will be held at Pelham Funeral Home, 64 Lincoln Ave on Wednesday February 13th, 2-4 and 7-9 pm, (914) 738-1060 and services at Parish of Christ the Redeemer at 1415 Pelhamdale Avenue in Pelham on Thursday at 10 AM, February 14th. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016.