The Many Loves of Joan Frumkies — Family, Friends and a Turtle Named Sig
Longtime Einstein employee Joan Frumkies leads a life filled with love.
Since starting at Einstein in 1966, the Yonkers resident says she’s lucky to work with a staff that’s like family. What her colleagues may not know is that Ms. Frumkies has a unique family of her own waiting for her at home. Here’s a hint—her nickname isn’t “Turtle” for nothing.
Ms. Frumkies fondly recalls the moment she was given that nickname.
“I spent a lot of time with my grandson at the Bronx Zoo, and he particularly liked to watch the turtles swimming,” she recalled. “One day, when he was starting to talk, he heard me approaching and said ‘tur-tle.’ To this day, my grandchildren and daughter-in-law only call me Turtle.”
Joan Frumkies with two of her reptiles
Amassing an Interesting Menagerie
“Turtle” is a fitting nickname for someone who has several turtles as pets.
“Seeing them bask and run to the water when they see me approaching the enclosure we have for them in our yard is like being in my own corner of the wilderness,” she said.
An “animal person,” from childhood, she had previously had cats and a bird. Owning a turtle, however, wasn’t originally her idea.
“When my husband and I were married, he was the one who said, ‘let’s get a turtle,’” Ms. Frumkies recalled. “She was a Chinese Box turtle and I named her Sig after Sigourney Weaver (and her famous role in the movie Alien).”
Amazed at Sig’s mannerisms and alertness, Ms. Frumkies read all she could find on the species—which broadened into an interest in lizards, snakes and amphibians. As a result, numerous other reptiles joined the household over time, including an iguana that Ms. Frumkies rescued from a tree in Yonkers.
Ms. Frumkies admits that it’s a difficult, yet rewarding experience caring for all her pets.
“It’s a commitment that takes a lot of time, but I feel I owe it to them to give them the best care possible.”
An Einstein “Lifer”
Ms. Frumkies has made Einstein her home away from home for almost 50 years, minus a four-year break in 1971 to care for her newborn son. She returned in 1975 and has most recently worked as an administrator of the Kennedy Center and administrator of the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience.
“In 1966, Einstein was a growing institution with only the Forchheimer building and the Ullmann Research Center,” she said. “Many new buildings were constructed since, including Belfer, the Kennedy Center, Chanin, Golding and the Price Center. But while it seems life at Einstein was simpler in the 60s, it was a great place to work then and continues to be an institution that I’m proud to be a part of.”
She added, “I’ve been fortunate to work with some wonderful people,” before sharing an example from 1979 that changed her life.
“Harry Gordon [a former boss who served as dean of Einstein and founding director of the Kennedy Center where Ms. Frumkies works] was very much like a father to me at Einstein,” she explained. “We were discussing how my current husband had recently proposed marriage. I remember Harry looked me in the eye, gave me a dime and said, ‘go call him and tell him you’ll marry him.’ The rest is history.”
The Bronx Zoo Connection
With their purchase of Sig and her fascination with reptiles, it was only natural that Ms. Frumkies would find her way to the Bronx Zoo. She explained, “Like most teenagers, my son decided he didn’t want his mom coming with him to his ball games, so I was looking for something to do. I was an amateur photographer and had my own darkroom, so I decided to photograph the animals at the zoo.”
Along the way, she won several awards for her photography. More importantly, though, her new hobby led to a volunteer opportunity as a docent at the zoo. She gave tours and discussed the animals, primarily at the Reptile House.
Her volunteering eventually led her to join the board of the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, as well, where she met well-known herpetologists and reptile veterinarians.
“What I enjoyed most was the education I received, both hands on with the animals and in discussions with knowledgeable herpetologists,” she said.
In 1984, she met Bill Holmstrom, manager of the zoo’s herpetology collection, who told her she could be a volunteer reptile keeper—a role she maintained every weekend for 14 years until leaving to help care for her grandson. “At one point Bill offered me a reptile keeper position, but I was unable to accept the offer. Even so, I was thrilled to be considered.”
These days, Ms. Frumkies enjoys the company of her co-workers at Einstein and time with her husband at home. Thinking about their unique living arrangements and the many reptiles—including Sig—that greet her each day, she can’t help, but laugh, stating, “I always tell my husband you have to have a sense of humor to live with me.”
Posted on: Monday, February 27, 2017