Lou Frank

Lou Frank, 87, formerly of Cherry Hill, NJ died July 14, 2024. He was the husband of Lois Frank; father of Stacie (Frank Lamberti) Frank and Beth (David) Bogush; grandfather of Ashley, Samantha and Sydney; and brother of Phillip Frank.

Lou was a teacher and coach at Cherry Hill East for 40 years.

Lou began his informal coaching career in High School by coaching his younger brother Phil in gymnastics. Phil later would compete in college gymnastics and open up a gymnastic school. Phil would eventually see his son David get a full scholarship to Temple University in gymnastics and tour with Kurt Thomas in gymnastic shows. Many Saturday mornings Lou and his brother Phil could be seen coaching David in tumbling belts on Lou’s lawn while neighbors looked on!

Lou graduated from Temple University with a degree in Physical education in 1958.

He coached Gymnastics, Wrestling and track, first at Heritage Junior HS, and then at Cherry Hill East HS. His wife used to call him “a coach for all seasons” as coaching was his passion year round. In addition to the above sports Lou also taught swimming. Interesting fact: Lou taught himself to swim from a book at the age of 18, gradually going into deeper water as his skills improved! He later went on to get his water safety certification eventually starting a day camp called “Lake Of Four Fountains Day Camp” where he only hired certified teachers as counselors. Lou was also a 2nd degree black belt in Akido and started a self-defense club while at Cherry Hill East.

The Frank household was always full of Lou’s students often showing up during dinner and pulling up a chair to join his family. Whole teams would ring the bell unplanned but with an open invitation to play pool and eat ridiculous amounts of food. A single student or athlete could often be found sitting on the front porch where Lou would solve problems, or simply listen. He philosophy both in life and in sports was “that there are no mistakes only learning opportunities”. And “there are no bad kids only tough situations”. It made it really easy for his athletes to succeed with no fear of failing. And succeed they did, both in sports and in life. Lou made sure of that, often checking report cards when on bus duty. His athletes had to be students first and athletes second.

Just a sampling of the many titles and awards in Lou’s 40 plus years of coaching:

Cherry Hill East Team Awards:
Gymnastic
Sectional Champs: 1983-1985
1987-1988 state champs
US Gymnastics safety award given in DC 1985 Wrestling
1993 Conference champs
1877-1978 undefeated 14-0

The Lou Frank Award, given by the Cherry Hill East Booster Club was created for a wrestler each year that had excellent sportsmanship, good grades and compassion for others.

Lou was inducted into the Cherry Hill East Athletic Hall Of Fame in 2023

Relatives and friends are invited Sunday, July 21, 2024, beginning 9:30 am to PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS, Inc., 2001 Berlin Road, Cherry Hill, NJ where funeral services will begin promptly at 10:00 am. The service will also be live streamed on plattmemorial.com. Please scroll down to watch the live stream.

Interment will follow at Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown, PA.

The family has requested no flowers, but to please make contributions in Lou's memory to either the Alzheimer's Association, alz.org or Maccabi USA maccabiusa.