Manuel Samuel “Manny” Fram, a longtime local educator who was founder of the Fram Monument Co. based in Pikesville, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 6. He was 91.
An East Baltimore native, Fram was the youngest of six children and grew up at the height of the Great Depression in a four-story rowhouse across from Patterson Park.
A 1951 graduate of Patterson Park High School, Fram attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he studied industrial arts. He taught that topic for nearly three decades at what was then known as Sudbrook Junior High School (now Sudbrook Magnet Middle School).
“His thousands of students can attest to his love of teaching, his strict (but supportive) manner, and his immaculate attention to detail,” wrote his family on the website of Sol Levinson & Bros.
In addition, Fram started the Fram Monument Co., following in the footsteps of his father who founded a monument company decades earlier in downtown Baltimore.
Steve Venick, who worked as the manager at Fram Monument and bought the company from Manny Fram in 2000, described him as a great friend and mentor.
“Manny taught and guided me through all aspects of the business and even took me around the various cemeteries in Baltimore, proudly showing me the many monuments he produced throughout the years, even some celebrities,” Venick recalled. “He then got me involved with volunteer organizations such as the United Hebrew Cemetery Corporation of Rosedale and the Jewish Cemetery Association of Greater Baltimore, always saying how important helping others was.”
Venick also remembered Fram’s deep sense of compassion and love for the community.
“Manny never charged a penny when a family came to him in the untimely passing of a baby,” he said. “It was the least he could do to give back to the community, and something that I was proud to continue for many years.”
Venick said Fram served as a consultant to the business for several years.
“I would always enjoy bouncing new ideas through him and respect his advice and suggestions, which usually were on point,” he said. “This connection was invaluable to my success for 23 years in continuing the legacy Manny had built before I sold the business in 2022.
“I would check in with him periodically in Florida to see how he was doing, most recently as just a few weeks ago,” Venick said. “I will always remember the good times we shared together and will miss him dearly.”
In his spare time, Fram enjoyed “simple pleasures and passions, including years in Ocean City, the Baltimore Colts and later the Baltimore Ravens, sitting outside under a covered awning during thunderstorms, and people-watching,” his family posted.
Fram is survived by his wife of nearly 69 years, Sandra “Sandy” Fram; his children, Jeffrey Fram, Debra Fram and her husband Eric Schwartz, and David Fram and his husband, David Cralle; his five grandchildren, Matthew, Lauren, Max, Alex, and Noah; and one great grandchild, Maisi.
Funeral services will be held at Sol Levinson’s Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be at Hebrew Friendship Cemetery, 3600 East Baltimore Street.
The family will be in mourning at the DoubleTree Baltimore North Hotel, 1726 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.
For more than five decades, Dr. Rosenstein was known by local families as a trusted and caring physician for their children.
Jewish Community Services' upcoming "Future-Ready Workplace" event will feature a keynote address from workplace expert and bestselling author Liz Fosslien.
A Baltimore native, Sweren was a collector of artists' books whose own works were displayed in national galleries.
The BCO, founded in 1984, will perform the works of Frank Zappa, Beethoven, Mason Bates and Karena Ingram.