Frank Nemeth

Frank Nemeth, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and teacher, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2026, at Henry Ford Providence Hospital in Novi, Michigan. He was 90 years old.

Born in South Bend, Indiana on May 2, 1936, to Frank and Alice (Wroblewski) Nemeth, Frank was proud to be a member of the first graduating class of St. Joseph High School in 1954. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Bethel University and a Master's Degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1966.

Frank gave 45 years of his life to the students of Edison Middle School, and those who knew him understood that teaching was never merely his profession, it was his calling. He believed in young people with conviction, and generations of South Bend students carried something of him with them long after they left his classroom. It is perhaps the most fitting tribute imaginable that his daughter Jayn followed him into the classroom, carrying forward a legacy of shaping young minds that Frank began decades earlier. Teaching ran in his family because Frank made it something extraordinary.

He was equally devoted to his athletes, coaching football, basketball, track, and volleyball at Edison; and leading volleyball programs at both St. Joseph High School and Riley High School, where his teams captured numerous Sectional Championships. He was a longtime member of the St. Joseph Valley Officials Association, serving the integrity of the game with the same dedication he brought to everything he did.

Beyond the classroom and gymnasium, Frank gave generously of himself to his community.  Frank was a proud United States Army Veteran. A devoted member of South Bend Elks Lodge No. 235, he served as Exalted Ruler in 2000 and was honored as Elk of the Year in 1994. For decades he personally oversaw the Lodge's swimming pool, the kind of unglamorous service that defined his character.

Frank loved to travel. Cruises with Sharon, friends, and family brought him great joy, and his adventurous spirit took him much further. He traveled to Taiwan on two separate occasions to visit Jeff and his family, where he had the privilege of teaching and coaching his grandchildren at Taipei American School. Later he made multiple trips to South Africa, embracing everything the country had to offer. Even in his later years, he remained curious about the world and eager to be a part of it.

On November 29, 1958, Frank married Sharon Graf, and the family they built together became his life’s greatest work. Teaching gave Frank something many fathers didn't have, summers, and he used them well. While other dads were at the office, he was present for vacations, for backyard afternoons, for the ordinary moments that turn out to be the ones people remember. His children and grandchildren grew up knowing he was there with and for them.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sharon; his children Jeffery (Nancy) Nemeth and Jon (Tracy) Nemeth; Son-in-law Ray Barson; his grandchildren Blake Nemeth, Coleman (Marriea) Nemeth, Declan Nemeth, Alec Barson, Abbey Barson, Jace Nemeth, and Reece Nemeth; and his great-grandson Caspian Nemeth.

He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Alice Nemeth; his sister Delphine Nemeth; and his beloved daughter Jayn Barson, whose loss he carried with grace and love until the very end.

Visitation will be held on June 11, 2026 from 5:00-7:00PM at Palmer Funeral Home - Hickey Chapel, 17131 Cleveland Road, South Bend, Indiana. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on June 12, 2026 at 1:00PM. at St. Pius X Catholic Church. Entombment will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame, IN.

Contributions in Frank's honor may be made to Compassus (Hospice), 30665 Northwestern Highway, Suite 150, Farmington Hills, MI 48334.

Online condolences may be offered at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

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