Dr. Frank M. Grittner

MADISON- Dr. Frank M. Grittner, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, at St. Mary’s Care Center after a long courageous struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was born in Ashland on Feb. 12, 1927, the son of Frank Sr. and Rilla Grittner. After serving in the Army during World War II, Frank graduated from Northland College in 1950. He also completed a Masters Degree in German and a Ph. D. in Curriculum and Instruction at UW-Madison. After teaching in Fond du Lac and at East High in Madison, Frank was appointed the first Supervisor of Modern Foreign Languages in the Wis. Dept. of Public Instruction in 1961, a position he held, and carried out with distinction, for 30 years. His many achievements while at DPI included setting up sister states in Nicaragua, Germany and Japan and organizing numerous teacher/student exchanges with those countries as well as providing leadership for the Wisconsin Assoc. for Language Teachers. Frank was also very active at the regional level and national level in foreign language organizations, serving as the President of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages as well as President of the American Association of Teachers of German. In his many books and articles, he wrote extensively about issues in the teaching of a second language. He was nationally and internationally regarded as an authority in the field. He also delivered professional presentations throughout the U.S. and Canada that were very well received because of their combination of scholarly and practical information as well as for the wit and dry humor in Frank’s delivery. He received numerous awards in recognition of his professional contributions, including a national award for leadership in foreign language education and, from the German government, the highest honor it bestows on a non-German citizen, the Federal Cross of Merit. On a personal level, Frank was much loved by family, friends and colleagues for his kindness, for his genuine concern for, and support of, others and for his lively wit and sense of humor. We all have “Frank stories” that we continue to recount with affection and with laughter in memory of this wonderful man. He will be sorely missed by all of us. Frank is survived by his children, Kurt, Kevin (Jill), Kim (Scott Lein), Brian (Sarah) and Lynette; and by six grandchildren. He is further survived by his long-time companion, Connie Knop, and the Knop children, Laura, David (Teresa) and Andrea and by three grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother James; and two nieces. Frank was preceded in death by his parents. A ceremony in celebration of his life will be held at a future date. Many thanks to the staff of St. Mary’s Care Center for their loving care and support of Frank. Memorials in his honor may be made to the Parkinson Foundation or to the Frank M. Grittner Scholarship, c/o Wis. Assoc. for Language Teachers, P.O. Box 1493, Appleton, WI 54912. Memorials in his honor may be made to the Parkinson Foundation or to the Frank M. Grittner Scholarship, c/o Wis. Assoc. for Language Teachers, P.O. Box 1493, Appleton, WI 54912. A ceremony in celebration of his life will be held at a future date.