Frank Zuckerman

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on December 23, 1920, Frank Zuckerman passed away November 18, 2019 in Novato, California.

Frank was born into what was Montreal’s Jewish neighborhood, where his parents owned a succession of stores selling coffee, tea, spices, and groceries. He was an avid skier and captain of his high school basketball team. Frank met his sweetheart Freda there, and they married in 1943. Three years later, they moved to Potsdam, NY, so Frank could study mechanical engineering at Clarkson College (now University). That is also where they welcomed Mark into their family in 1947. Their daughter Robin followed several years later, and lastly, Seth arrived in 1961.

After graduating, Frank began an engineering career that spanned four states and two continents. At General Electric in Massachusetts in the 1950 s, he focused on hydraulics for ocean- going ships, then on to jet engine work . W ith Grumman Aircraft in the 1960s, he was on the small team coordinating the design of the Apollo spacecraft’s lunar landing module . He work ed for Israel Aircraft Industries in the 1970s. That last assignment brought him, along with Freda and Seth, to spend a decade in Israel, inspired in part by his parents’ commitment to building a life in the Holy Land , where his mother had been b orn (in Jerusalem) in the 1890s . In the 1980s, he worked closely with Mark to start two coffee businesses, collaborating on business strategy , engineering adaptations of espresso machines , and designing the retail coffee shop, The Pedestrian Cafe, the first store of the future Pasqua Coffee shop chain .

Freda paved the way for his return to the United States, and he rejoined her there in 1981. They returned to an urban life , one they had enjoyed as newlyweds, and liv ed in a high-rise apartment building in downtown San Francisco for over 25 years . I n 2006, Frank and Freda moved to Marin County's Lucas Valley to be closer to daughter Robin, son-in-law Terry and grand daughter Rosie. He cared for Freda through her decline, assuming many of the domestic chores that had been her purview through out most of their 68-year marriage. After she passed away in 2011, he remained in Lucas Valley, continuing h is practice of walking, playing Sudoku , solving crossword puzzles, playing bridge, spending time with family, and a fascination with lotteries.

Frank took a keen interest in how things worked, and was always trying to figure out what made things tick ... and whether he could improve them so they ticked better. He reveled in his understanding of the natural and mechanical world, and delighted in sharing that understanding with others. Frank may have been one of the early male feminists we knew. He had the same expectations of Robin that he had of her brothers. And he was always supportive of Freda’s entrepreneurial endeavors , including her baking business in Israel. Everyone who encountered him experienced his sweet, endearing manner, a smiling optimism and attentive presence. We miss him already.