William A. Fraenkel, Ph.D.

William A. Fraenkel, Ph.D., age 84 years, of Flemington, NJ, died on Sunday, May 20, 2007 at his residence.

Born in New York City, NY, June 20, 1922, son of the late Henry and Stella Fraenkel, he had resided in Flemington for over fifteen years.

Dr. Fraenkel earned his doctorate in educational psychology from New York University, and rose to prominence through his work as Executive Director of the National Association for Retarded Children in the 1960s, on President Kennedy’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, and as Assistant Commissioner of Mental Retardation in Massachusetts in the early 1970s.

He was a lifelong advocate for improving the lives of the mentally retarded, and in later years, counseled persons in agencies serving persons with HIV/AIDS in New Jersey.

A decorated WWII United States Marine veteran who fought in three battles including Iwo Jima, he became a fervent activist for peace, for environmental causes, and served in the Peace Corps in Belize.

Surviving are a son, Peter Fraenkel, Ph.D. of Dobbs Ferry, NY; two daughters, Nina Tufenkjian of Venice, FL and Amy Ann Fraenkel of Takoma Park, MD; and five grandchildren.

Funeral Services and Interment are private under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Please visit www.holcombefisher.com for further information or to send condolences.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the The National Audubon Society, Department W, 700 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 or to The Nature Conservancy, Attn: Treasury, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203 or to The Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104.