Mr. Philip Frate Jr.'s Obituary
Philip Frate Jr., age 90, of North Ridgeville, OH, passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2026, surrounded by the love and support of his family.
Philip was born in Utica, NY , on September 13, 1935, the son of the late Philip and Elizabeth (nee Tucciarone) Frate.
As a young man, Philip was anxious to join the Army and once hopped on a train hiding his true age, only to be pulled off by his mother. Once he was old enough, he proudly enlisted and served in the United States Army as part of the 105th Military Police Company in Utica, New York, traveling throughout Europe during his service. He continued his military career in logistics, taught at West Point, and later retired as a Colonel with the National Guard's 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division in Troy, New York.
Philip was also employed by Dunn & Bradstreet and later retired as a Senior Loan Officer with the Small Business Administration. He spent most of his life in New York before moving to Ohio in 2000.
Philip loved traveling with his wife, Sharon, visiting children and grandchildren, taking bus trips to casinos, and exploring as many countries as possible, including Italy and Austria to reconnect with family roots. They also enjoyed Viking cruises , including trips to Paris and Normandy, where he paid homage to his military past.
Philip enjoyed fishing, western movies, Johnny Cash, gardening, tending to his tomato plants and fruit trees, and riding his lawn mower. He loved family dinners, especially his wife's sauce and pasta. He proudly served as Range Master at the North Olmsted Sportsmen's Club. From his military planning and leadership to overseeing the gun club, Philip valued structure, discipline, and order.
He was quick-witted and loved joking about his age, often claiming to be younger than his own children. When Philip turned 90 last fall, he joked that he was "45 times two."
Philip is survived by his loving wife, Sharon (George) Frate, and his sister, Rose Frate of Utica, NY; daughter Marcia (Chuck) Jeager of NC; son Eric Frate of FL; and daughter Andrea Frate of FL. He was also a devoted stepfather to Craig Salem of Parma, OH, and Brian (Megan) Salem of Bellbrook, OH.
He was a loving grandfather to Taylor Salem, Nicholas Cirabisi, Michelle Salem, Addie Salem, Matthew Salem, and Ellie Salem, along with several nieces and nephews.
Philip was preceded in death by his sisters, Yolanda Woods and Sylvia Antonuk; daughter-in-law Kimberly Beck Frate; and his faithful paw companion, Pepper, who passed away earlier this year.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Cleveland Clinic teams for their excellent care over the years, and most recently to the staff at St. Mary of the Woods.
Friends may call at Bogner Family Funeral Home, 36625 Center Ridge Rd., North Ridgeville, OH, on Thursday, May 21, from 4-7PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Philip on Friday, May 22, at 11AM at St. Clarence Catholic Church, 30106 Lorain Rd, North Olmsted, OH. Interment will immediately follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/donatetoday
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