With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of Dr. Arthur Andrew Frazzano – a devoted physician, esteemed educator, and beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend – who left this world on June 2, 2025.
Born in Montclair, New Jersey, on October 24, 1949, Arthur was the eldest child of Arthur Rocco Frazzano and Gilda Rose (Politi) Frazzano. His academic journey was marked by intellectual rigor and deep purpose. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Seton Hall University, followed by a Master of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine from Rutgers Medical School. He then completed four years of postgraduate training at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, where he would later leave a lasting legacy as both a clinician and educator.
Arthur spent nearly two decades practicing family medicine in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, providing comprehensive high-quality care across office visits, home visits, and nursing home services. He was a tireless advocate for public health, serving as President of both the Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians and the Rhode Island Medical Society. He took great pride in launching Tar Wars, a statewide anti-tobacco education program for schoolchildren.
After his years in private practice, Arthur returned to Brown University as a dedicated medical educator, training the next generation of physicians. For over 20 years, he mentored students and residents, helped establish the foundational “Doctoring” course, and served as Brown’s Associate Dean of Clinical Faculty. His passion for teaching earned him numerous accolades, including the Charles Hill Award recognizing leadership and service, an honor he held especially close to his heart.
Arthur’s personal life was rooted in love and devotion to his family. He is survived by his wife, Irene Frazzano; his children, Rebecca, Kristina, and Andrew Frazzano; their spouses, Evan Meagher and Leah Frazzano; and his cherished grandsons, Wes Sodl, Joseph Frazzano, Benjamin Frazzano, and Jude Meagher. He also leaves behind his beloved siblings, nephews, niece, and sister-in-law, Angela Culmone, Andrew Leonard Frazzano, Stephen Culmone, Eric Frazzano, Jacquelyn Wladich, and JoAnn Evans; along with his closest friend, Mike DeBonis. He was preceded in death by his parents and his youngest sister, Judy Ann Wladich.
Arthur cherished his role as a father & grandfather. He spoke often of how much his children meant to him and how much he missed them after they left home to build families and successful careers of their own. His pride in their paths was matched only by the love he carried for them: steady, unwavering, and central to his life. In his later years, Arthur faced blood cancer with tenacity and grace, participating in clinical trials to help advance treatments for multiple myeloma in an act that embodied the same devotion to service in medicine that defined his life.
A service celebrating Arthur’s life will be held on Saturday, June 14th, at 11:00 AM at St. Barnabas Church in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Arthur’s memory to the Cancer Center at Massachusetts General (https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate/cancer-center) or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html).
Arthur will be remembered not only for his extraordinary career, but also for the warmth, compassion, and quiet strength he brought to those around him. His legacy lives on in his patients, students, friends, and family, whose love for him is enduring and boundless.
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