Sheldon Frankel

1921 - 2016

(News story) Sheldon Frankel, who readily adopted innovations in dentistry as he built a practice that still serves generations of some families, died Tuesday in the Grove at Oakleaf Village in Sylvania Township. He was 95.

He had kidney failure, said his son Jerry, a rabbi who has lived in Israel for 45 years.

The retired dentist and his wife, Ervine, were longtime West Toledo residents and lived most recently in Sylvania Township.

The opening of the first Frankel dentistry practice in downtown Toledo followed his return from Army service in Europe during World War II. He was a captain and dental officer, but was called on to care for civilians and German prisoners of war and to administer anesthesia in medical procedures.

His son Jon - a graduate of his alma mater, Ohio State University's college of dentistry - later joined the practice, which moved to West Toledo.

"What's amazing is I practiced with my dad for 15 years, still every day somebody comes in and either asks about him" or self-identifies as a former patient of his, Jon Frankel said. "Every day I'm reminded what a wonderful person he was."

The elder Dr. Frankel used a high-speed hand piece, air abrasion, and other procedures before they were commonplace - "to do things better for the patient," son Jon said. "There's no one I've seen who was more exact and precise in their dentistry as he was. He trained me to do things the right way. His patients truly were his friends and had long conversations with him."

His daughter Barbara said she learned from her father that "you work hard to get what you achieve. You don't quit. When you have downs, keep fighting. That was his philosophy."

The founder of the Frankel practice retired at age 87. He worked mostly on dentures in his later years at the office.

He was born Jan. 18, 1921, in New York to Evelyn and Joseph Frankel. He left home at age 17 to pursue studies at Ohio State, from which he also received a bachelor's degree. His parents settled in Toledo, and his father joined his brothers in Toledo Hosiery and Underwear Co., a wholesale distributorship opened by brother Dave.

He was a competitive player of racquet sports and liked to swim and teach others. He lived modestly - "a family man who was responsible," son Jerry said. Son Jon said: "He wanted to make sure everyone else was comfortable. He didn't need much. God was his strength, and he lived by Judaism."

He was a member of The Temple-Congregation Shomer Emunim and Congregation B'nai Israel.

Surviving are his wife, Ervine Frankel, whom he married March 18, 1944; daughters, Karen Kearns and Barbara Wexler; sons, Jerry and Jon Frankel; 22 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will begin at 10:30 a.m. today in Beth Shalom Cemetery, Oregon, followed by memorial services at 11:45 p.m. in Congregation B'nai Israel, Sylvania Township. Arrangements are by the Robert H. Wick/?Wisniewski Funeral Home.

The family suggests tributes to Congregation B'nai Israel and the northwest Ohio chapter of the Alzheimer's Association on North Reynolds Road.

This is a news story written by Blade staff writer Mark Zaborney. Contact him at mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.