Carol Edelman Obituary

Carol Frank Edelman, whose steadfast love sustained five generations of family, died peacefully on Sunday, July 27, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, with her children by her side. She was 89 and had fought a two-year battle with stomach cancer with characteristic resolve.

A lifelong New Jersey resident who had lived in Skillman since 1998, Carol was a loving wife, devoted mother, and adoring grandmother and great-grandmother. She maintained close relationships with many friends and formed lasting bonds with the friends of her children and grandchildren, who treasured her warmth, support, and guidance.

Active well into her 80s, Carol loved to travel, experiment with new recipes, and explore new restaurants. She was an avid shopper and fashionista, a skilled home decorator and gardener, and enjoyed playing bridge with friends.

Carol Shayna Israel was born on August 7, 1935, in North Bergen, N.J., to Leah and Barney Israel. She adored her parents – she spoke with her mother nearly every day -- and her older sister, Elaine, who died far too young in 1974.

She graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she trained to become a teacher. Not long after college, she met Dr. Stanley Frank, an optometrist. They married in 1957, settled in Somerville, N.J., and raised a daughter and a son. Carol was active in local politics and the American Association of University Women.

Stanley died of a heart attack in 1972.

Carol later met Arthur M. Edelman of Trenton, a widower with three children of his own. They married in 1974, moved the blended family - along with Carol's father - to Princeton, and built a vibrant life together.

Once their children were grown, the couple enjoyed golf, tennis, and travel. Carol volunteered with Hadassah, the Jewish women's organization, and at Greenwood House, a senior living center. Arthur died in 2021.

Carol is survived by Marc and Edna Edelman of El Portal, Fla.; Larry Edelman and Meghan Willis of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nancy Frank Cook and Richard Cook of Basking Ridge, N.J.; Sue Edelman and Cheryl Schaffer of Medford, Mass.; and Seth Frank and Caroline Broullon of Doylestown, Pa.

Her grandchildren - Sagiv Edelman, Gilad Edelman, Mara DeJonghe, Jacob Edelman, Gabriel Edelman, Stephanie Cook, Jennifer Cook, Sayde Frank, and Chloe Frank - brought her immense joy, as did her great-grandchildren: Remy and Sylvie DeJonghe, and Emmanuel and Gabriel Edelman.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 30, at 11 a.m., at Bruce C. Van Arsdale Funeral Home, 111 North Gaston Ave., Somerville, followed by burial at Temple Sholom Cemetery in Bridgewater, N.J.

The family will sit Shiva on Thursday, July 31, from 4 to 8 p.m., with a minyan at 7:30 p.m., at the home of Nancy and Richard. Donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Carol's memory can be made at: http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/CarolMSK.