Frank Edgar Sessions, Jr.

Frank Edgar Sessions, Jr., 83, of Mt Pleasant, formerly of Orrs Island, Maine, and Southborough, Massachusetts passed away peacefully Friday, August 30th 2024. He was surrounded by the loving cradle of his cherished family. Frank, the son of Frank and Katherine Sessions was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 20th, 1941.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Susan (Anderson) Sessions and their four children; Kirsten and her husband Mark Romano of Bedford, NH, Lisa Streiff and her husband David of Mt Pleasant, SC, Frank E. IV Sessions of Chandler AZ, and Stephen Sessions and his wife Beth of Saco, Maine. Frank was a proud grandfather to Phebe and Nicholas Romano, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Ben Streiff, Piper and Frank Sessions, and Henry Tardiff. Frank also leaves behind two sisters who he loved dearly; Kathleen (Sessions) Low and Harriet “Mopsy” (Sessions) Myanga and all their children. Frank’s extended family were important to him as they were always a part of his life.

After attending the Canterbury prep school in New Milton, CT where he played hockey and football, Frank enrolled at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He graduated Harvard with a Political Science and History major in 1963. Frank and Susan started their family living in Worcester, Mass where Frank became the president of Frank E. Sessions Casket Company, a regional casket distributor serving the communities of the greater New England area. In 1974 Frank and Susan moved their family to Southborough, Massachusetts where they lived for the next 35 years. In Southborough, Frank and Susan entertained friends and family for holiday dinners and special events. Their generous and gregarious nature saw countless celebrations over the years with the formal ‘Christmas Dance’ being an annual highlight. Frank taught his children life lessons in Southborough by raising chickens, having a large vegetable garden and manually maintaining their rugged eleven-acre homestead affectionately known as Graystone Farm.

Frank loved taking his family to sporting events and into Boston for adventurous outings. Trips to Fanuel Hall, Red Sox, Bruins, Patriot and Harvard football games were an annual tradition. As the family grew, ski holidays to the White Mountains of New Hampshire became a favorite family pastime. In the 1990’s Frank and his family made several trips to Montana where they all enjoyed fly fishing adventures on the Madison River and experiencing the beauty of Yellowstone National Park. Aside from Montana, Frank loved fishing the waters of Cape Cod, Maine and any of the wild places his travels took him. To Frank, taking his family to a game or on a vacation was how he expressed his love and how he connected to those close to him as they made memories and shared experience. Frank and Susan also had community and friends on the island of St Maarten, in the Caribbean French West Indies. They made an annual trip to be with their friends and recharge in the Caribbean sunshine.

Frank’s career and lifetime of work had several chapters and it always reflected one of his core values: building relationships. When his tenure as President of the casket company came to an end, Frank became the head of regional sales for the company where he met and came to know personally the majority of the funeral directors in greater New England. When the casket company closed its doors in 1984, Frank started to build a business that would become the crowning achievement of his career. Leaning heavily on the personal relationships he built in the funeral industry he created over time, what became Graystone Consulting, a nationally recognized leader in the funeral home consulting industry. Through his lifetime of service, Frank’s positive impact on the funeral industry on a national level, was a significant one.

In retirement, Frank and Susan relocated from Massachusetts to Orrs Island in Harpswell, Maine. Although the location had changed, the family gatherings and celebrations continued. Engagement, birthday and holiday parties with family were a constant in this chapter of their lives. After completing the required course from the maritime power squadron program, Frank bought a boat called the Little Dipper and he and Susan enjoyed boating the Maine coast with friends and family. Always meticulous with his boating log, Frank and Susan logged over 30 trips in one summer’s boating season. This chapter in their lives also saw them go to New Zealand where they explored that truly beautiful country. In recent years, Frank and Susan relocated to Mount Pleasant SC. Frank engaged in his community’s leadership, enjoyed Civil War history classes, and made many new friends in the Charleston community.

The greatest story of Frank’s life is his almost life long love of his wife Susan. Dating since high school, Frank and Susan were married on February 23, 1963 in Durham, New Hampshire. Frank cherished Susan and he worked tirelessly to provide for her and their family. Their life together saw four children graduate from college, and raise families of their own.

His Funeral Service will be held Saturday, September 7, 2024 in the J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel, 1494 Mathis Ferry Road at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends an hour before the service. Interment will follow in Mt. Pleasant Memorial Gardens. Immediately following the committal, family and friends are invited to a reception in Frank Session's honor at the home of Lisa and Dave Streiff, 14 Saturday Rd., Mount Pleasant, SC.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Canterbury School: Attn: Advancement Office, 101 Aspetuck Avenue, New Milford, CT 06776.

A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.