Frank B. Off Jr. ’26

FRANK OFF, who was well known among professional growers of orchids, died on Sept. 3, 1989, at his home in Somers Point, N.J. He prepared at Haverford School, was a member of Dial Lodge at Princeton, and strongly supported '26.

Frank left Princeton in June 1925 and worked at F.P. Ristine & Co. in Philadelphia until 1945, when he joined his brother, Louis, in the production of orchids at Brighton Farms, in Linwood, N.J. In the '60s, orchids were hit by a virus--a bad omen for the future of the business. Fortunately, the Off brothers were able to learn from growers in France the secret of "cloning," a process by which the heart of an orchid shoot is removed and subjected to intricate procedures that result in a hybrid. Frank rendered a service to the industry by mastering the process, which produced virus-free orchids in four years; older methods took nine years. The class will remember Frank as a thoughtful and quiet man who, with Esther's help, did so much for our class mini-reunions. His gracious gifts of orchid corsages for the ladies was typical.

Frank is survived by Esther, whom he married in 1952; by his five children, Madeline Frame, Louise Uhrmann, Kathleen Jaffries, Frank B. III, and George; by his brother, Louis, and sister, Esther Clark; and by 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. To all of them goes our deep sympathy.

The Class of 1926