Donald "Duke" Frace

Donald Alan Frace (“Don” or “Duke”), age 58, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2022, at his family home in Beach Haven West, New Jersey after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Duke was born in Bayonne, New Jersey on March 12, 1964 and at the age of eight-years-old, moved to Beach Haven West, New Jersey where he met, as he stated, the love of his life, Lesa Frace.

Duke was an accomplished carpenter and dedicated 36-years of service to the Northeast Carpenters Union, Local 1342.  He completed his career as a foreman at the American Dream, which is fitting for a man who built his own life through determination, perseverance, and resolve.

He enjoyed baseball, including weekly softball and coaching, memorabilia collection, and attending Yankee games.  Indeed, his happiest moments were on the baseball field.   It was common to find him listening along to Bruce Springsteen or riding his Yamaha V Star.  Recently, he was filled with overwhelming pride as he watched his daughter graduate from college and his son graduate from law school.

Duke was a leader through his work-ethic, his mentorship, and his ideals. He considered his family to be his greatest accomplishment.  He valued conversation and often allowed many to confide in him.  He cared deeply for everyone in his life and brought with him an infinite degree of joy, happiness, and love.

His words, actions and principles are represented by his strength, durability, and practicality, qualities cemented in all of his relationships, qualities he offered with an undefinable energy and charm.

Duke resembled (and instilled in others) the values of determination, companionship, and love.  Above all, he was a husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and, most importantly, a friend to everyone he met.  He is survived by his wife, Lesa, and his two children, Ryan and Payton, along with his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, and dear friends.  And, of course, their new family member, Scout, a yellow Labrador puppy.

A few years ago, he comforted his family with these words: We all have our moment in time.  With this, he reassured everyone that his presence and life lives on through us all, collectively, in the people he met and the lives he touched.   His impact, like a ripple along the lagoon, serves as a precedent to lead your life as he did and, like he did, go to a baseball game, reach out to a friend in need, spend time with family, and love indefinitely everyone in your life.

Visiting hours will be Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 1pm to 4pm with a time of remembrance at 3:30pm at Maxwell-Tobie Funeral Home, 573 Mill Creek Road, Manahawkin, NJ. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11:30am on Monday, May 16 at St. Mary of The Pines Church, 100 Bishop Way, Manahawkin, NJ 08050. Cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org