Mia Frankel

1944 - 2022

FRANKEL

MIA FRANKEL

1944 – 2022



Mia Frankel passed peacefully on July 7, 2022, at her home in Lake Ridge, Virginia. The cause of death was cancer.



Born in Tokyo, Japan on April 30, 1944, Mia was the second youngest of the seven children of Chung Jong-Kil and Kim In Soon. Having relocated back to Korea about 1948, she endured many hardships and family separations during and after the Korean War. In the mid-1950s Mia reunited with her mother and older siblings. About 1965 she and her mother opened a business, Miss Chung Record Shop, where she eventually met and her mother chose Mick Frankel, her future spouse.



Mia is survived by her loving husband Mick; son Jim (Michelle); grandchildren Brodie, Danielle Plath (Tony); great-grandchildren Paisley Frankel, and Coralynne, Elsie and soon-to-be Francesca Mia Plath; and daughter Maureen Cadle (Chris (deceased); grandchildren Dylan, Clayton, Tyler and Madison.



Mia and Mick married in Phoenix, Arizona 54 wonderful years ago, on August 23, 1968. Ten years later, with the children in school, Mia studied to become a dental technician. There, she found that magical career which she was good at, and which was good to her. Motherhood and career joined together to compound her joy and sense of accomplishment. In six short years she had acquired the technical and management skills needed to open her own dental laboratory in Lorton, Virginia, Aloha Dental Studio. The laboratory thrived, crafting crown, bridge and implant restorations for over 50 dentists in the Northern Virginia area. In addition, Mia provided stable employment in a family-like work environment for many apprentice, journeyman and master dental technicians.



In 2007 Mia retired, finding a new passion in the love of golf. Mia and Mick became daily players, always together and energetically walking, making friends and enjoying the serene settings. Neither heat nor cold nor rain could keep her from her daily round! Mia became well known by her playing partners as one who was eager to celebrate birdies with a toast, who routinely shared her home-made banana muffins, and who strictly adhered to and helped enforce the Pace of Play rule.



Mia relished the birth of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She deeply loved each of them, always feeling blessed and grateful that she lived long enough to welcome the beauty of each new birth. Mia's love will live on through each of them.



The family will follow Mia's wishes for a private, family-only celebration of her life. Mia's other wish was that any remembrances be made in the form of donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org/donate), her favorite charity.