Arthur Frakt (1939-2018)

I regret to announce that on February 3, 2018, my father, Arthur Frakt, a retired law professor and law school administrator, died peacefully at his home in Alta, Wyoming. He was 78 years old.

Arthur was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Sam and Clara Frakt on Halloween 1939. Although the dates didn’t exactly match, he was fond of saying “the Nazis marched into Poland and I arrived in New Jersey.” He grew up in Nutley, New Jersey, not far from the local tennis club where the “old guys” took him under their wings and taught him the sport which became his life-long passion. Arthur attended nearby Rutgers University where he was a star student-athlete, competing both as a member of the varsity tennis team, and on Rutgers’ national champion G.E. College Bowl team, which went undefeated in five matches broadcast live on national television. A reporter later wrote about one of his appearances that he “stunned moderator, audience and teammates alike during the 1960-61 television season with his answer to a question.” The moderator asked: "What famous English novel. . . “and Arthur buzzed in and correctly answered "A Tale of Two Cities." He told me that he just had a feeling that the question was "What famous English novel begins with the words: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times?'”.  How he knew remains a mystery to this day.

After college, Arthur briefly taught high school geography in Wisconsin before returning to New Jersey. He had served in the National Guard throughout college and decided to enlist to serve in Vietnam. On the way to the recruitment center he dropped by the law school to visit a buddy. He happened to ride up in the elevator with the Dean of the law school. By the time they reached the Dean’s office, the Dean had talked Arthur out of war and into enrolling in Rutgers Law School. (He took the LSAT after a few weeks in school). He was at the top of his class and was Articles Editor of the Law Review. After he graduated in 1965 he became Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights for the State of New Jersey. His interest in civil rights and his membership in the American Civil Liberties Union were other life-long passions. When New Jersey decided to start a second state law school in Camden, Arthur was recruited to join the faculty. He later was promoted to Associate Dean. As a young law professor, he was granted a research sabbatical, which he decided to spend in California. There, he met his future wife, Janna Rankin. Janna was attending law school in the evening at the time at Santa Clara. A mutual friend arranged for the three of them to go to dinner where they had a spirited political discussion. They found they had a mutual passion for civil rights, and, more importantly, each other. They continued the discussion the next day and it continued for almost 50 years.

In 1982, Arthur was appointed Dean of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California, where he oversaw the school’s transformation from a regional law school to a highly respected national law school. Arthur was an early champion of faculty diversity and recruited many women and minority faculty members who have gone on to great prominence. He was much beloved there by the staff and faculty. He served as Dean until 1990, when he rejoined the faculty.

In 1992, Arthur was lured back to the East Coast to serve as Dean of the Law Center and Vice President of Widener University. At the time, Widener had two campuses, one in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the other in Wilmington, Delaware, with a combined enrollment of over 2000 students, and he was the Dean of both. Widener also had a highly regarded paralegal program and a unique joint nursing/J.D. program which he oversaw. Arthur embarked on a multi-year campaign to raise standards and improve the facilities at the school. Unfortunately, in 1996, he was diagnosed with Stage-4 oral cancer. Radical surgery and a long course of radiation treatments left him extremely weakened, and he was forced to take early retirement. Arthur had dreamed of living in the Rocky Mountains and he and my mother commissioned an architect to design their dream home in Alta, Wyoming in the foothills of the Grand Tetons. The mountain lifestyle proved to be restorative, and after a couple of years of retirement, and with his cancer in remission, Arthur was lured out of retirement to serve as a consultant on the founding of a new law school at Drexel University in Philadelphia. After the successful launch of Drexel Law School, he was recruited to serve as a Special Assistant to the Dean at Western State University School of Law in Orange County, California, where I was a faculty member at the time. He helped engineer a dramatic turn-around at Western State, raising the bar passage rate above the state average and helping Western State secure full ABA-Accreditation after many years in provisional status.

In addition to being a highly skilled law school administrator, Arthur was a respected writer and scholar. Over the course of his professional career he wrote numerous books, chapters, and articles. His focus areas included Constitutional law, civil rights, educational policy and reform, defamation and privacy law, workers compensation and ski area liability.

In 2009, he re-retired from legal academia and focused on his life-long passion for tennis, with a healthy dose of hiking and skiing on the side. He served as the coach of the Jackson Hole High School Tennis Team and as the head tennis umpire for the Wyoming Tennis Association. Arthur continued to compete in tennis at a high level right up until last summer. Some of his (and my) proudest moments were competing and not infrequently winning doubles tournaments with me.

Arthur is survived by his wife Janna Rankin, his brother Steven Frakt,  my brother Alex and I, his four grandchildren, Max, Danny, Quinn and Roxy, and his two rescued Viszlas, Cooper and Arya. Arthur will be remembered by all for his great humanity, wit, compassion for others, and his unbending integrity in all matters.

Remembrances from those who knew him are welcomed in the Comments section.

 

Comments

[Orin Kerr]

I didn't know him, but I hope you won't mind me expressing my condolences. So sorry for your loss, David.

[Jay Feinman]

Arthur was a wonderful mentor to me as a young a faculty member, a down-to-earth person with a wry wit. May his memory be a source of blessing to you.

[Jamila Jefferson-Jones]

I’m so sorry for your loss, David.

[Greg Sergienko]

I'm sorry for your loss, David. Your father will be missed by many in the academy. Of course I worked with him at Western State, after he'd retired from full-time deaning. He had a great influence on Western State's Foundation Law Points approach to getting students to understand the significance of what they learned in law school, as reflected in their law school grades, in preparing for the bar.

[David Frakt]

Thank you Orin, Jay, JJJ and Greg.

[Steve L.]

Very sorry for your loss, David.

[Bill Araiza]

I'm sorry for your loss, David. While I didn't know your father, when I joined the Loyola-LA faculty in 1995 most of my new colleagues did, and they spoke of him with a lot of affection. I know they will miss him.

[Patricia Mecca]

My condolences to you and your family on behalf of all of us here at Rutgers University Foundation. Although I did not know your father, I learned a little bit about him from his former classmate and tennis chum, Laddie Feher. I felt compelled to pay my respects. Laddie said that your father was a brilliant law administrator, accomplished scholar/athlete and a real Renaissance man whom he admired. I wish I had known him. It sounds like he lived his life with great integrity. May his spirit live on in all of you. The world needs more down to earth men with integrity, like your father. May he rest in peace.

[Litowitz]

I had heard nice things about him tangentially (I think it was when I was doing an internship at the ACLU after law school) but didn't realize that he led such a full life, both professionally and personally. These older guys had twists and turns that made their lives hugely interesting, almost like The Odyssey, whereas the paths now are so straight and boring in comparison. Condolences to the family, but he led a full life in every way and there is not much more that anyone can ask for. God bless.

[Margaret]

Cousin Janna, David & Alex, so sorry for your loss. I enjoyed talking with Arthur over the years at various family functions. He always had an interesting point of view that could be discussed for quite awhile and a great sense of humor. He will be missed by the family and the tennis courts across the country!
Margaret & Tracey Dixon
Champaign, Il

[Al Brophy]

I’m real sorry to hear this, David. You and your family are in my thoughts at this tough time.

[Tamara Piety]

Having just lost my own father in early January, I know how terribly wrenching this can be. Your post is a lovely tribute. I did not know him, but something of his personality comes across in this piece. It appears that he was an honest, accomplished, amusing, talented, leader and a loving father. Please accept my condolences for your loss.

[Lawrence Solum]

I was hired at Loyola Law School by Arthur. He was a remarkable Dean, who led Loyola through a very difficult period. Because of a change in ABA standards, the Loyola faculty had to grow substantially in order to retain accreditation. Arthur managed a very tricky transition that involved both the hiring of more scholars and a number of tenure denials that were the result of rapid expansion. He was a strong leader but fair and compassionate. His tenure effected a radical transformation in the faculty and student body. There were many storms to weather during his time as dean, but he maintained composure and grace on almost every occasion. He was sharp and had very good academic judgment.

David, I hope you have many good memories of your father. He touched many lives and left the world a better place.

[David Frakt]

Thank you all for your kind words.

David

[Jim May]

Arthur was a talented and passionate leader at Widener University School of Law. During his time as dean of what amounted to two law schools, he succeeded during a period of great and complex growth in improving standards and bar passage, raising millions for a new building and other pursuits, hiring top-flight faculty and staff, elevating the reputation of faculty and the law school, and focusing attention on teaching, scholarship and intentional, meaningful service. He took his responsibilities seriously, but hardly ever himself. He could also tell and take a good joke. He could laugh at life and himself with a gleam in his eye. He was a doer of good, of right, of hard. He left a mark and will be missed.

[Enrique Guerra-Pujol]

David, Sydjia and I are so sorry for your loss. I had the great fortune of meeting your father during one of his visits to you in Orlando. I remember once we all drove somewhere in your mini-van. I don't remember where we were going, but I do remember your father's good cheer and his willingness to share ideas with me. I know he will be missed!

[Bill Grewe]

To the family of Dean Frakt, my condolences. There are few who, regardless of where they find themselves, are simply comfortable with the challenges and opportunities presented. Loyola, to this day, is indebted. My best to your family at this time.

[Todd Brower]

David, Please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your father. I will always remember and appreciate his time with us at school and all he did.

[Michael Falotico]

Dean Frakt signed my diploma at Loyola Law. Nice fellow, always had a smile on his face. I did not know him well (he was the Dean of the law school, after all, and I was just a student) but on the occasions when we chatted it was always pleasant and enlightening for me. My condolences to you and your family.

[Ethan Vaughn]

David, so sorry for your loss. I was a tennis pro at Teton Pines and got to know your father during my few years there. He was a wonderful man and a great tennis player. I will never forget being his doubles partner during many of the “Men’s Nights.”