Meet Your Neighbor… Jack Frient

By DONNA NICKEL

“It all started with a date back in 1970.” Talk about a defining moment...Because of that date, Jack Frient ended up in North Canton, became the father of 11 children, formed relationships that led him to his career, wound using his musical talents to serve his faith community, and now lives a fulfilling and joy-filled life.
Jack grew up in Akron and graduated Hoban High School in 1968. While studying at the University of Akron he met Hoover graduate Carol Robinson through a mutual friend. The couple married and moved to North Canton. While in college, Jack worked in a grocery store to pay his way, then armed with a degree in general speech, he worked in management in both Kroger's and Fazios. He and Carol were also busy at home raising a family that topped out with 11 children, at this point, ranging in age from 42 to 16 years old.
It wasn't like we said, “Let's have 11 kids.” It was something that just happened over time. We thought we were pretty good parents, so we decided to look into adoption.” The couple eventually adopted two blind children and one son with Down's Syndrome. The Frients are parents to Jeri, Tim, Renita, Noah, Sarah, Erin, Katie, Andy, Anna, Jacob, and Rebekah. At one point the family lived in a Greentown house with one bathroom. “We had 10 kids at home, plus my mother-in-law was living with us at the time. It was interesting stuff. I've always said though that God provides. I believe He approves of what we're doing. My wife and I are a good team. We've had great support from the community and from friends. You don't do this on your own.”
The Frients only have four children living at home now. “It's pretty easy. It's hardly worth cooking,” Jack said, laughing. The Frient children are scattered across the country and involved in a wide variety of occupations. One's in publishing, another owns a marketing company, there's an assistant vice-president at a bank, a singer on Long Island, a director of a daycare center in Galveston, TX, one works in a Chicago theater, another's a carpenter's apprentice, three work in food service and one is a student. Five of the children are now married and the Frients have five grandchildren. “It's hard to believe. We're still young, we're still kids ourselves.”
The clan was together at Christmas for a few hours and managed to keep everyone still for a moment for a rare family photo. Jack said when he looks at the picture, he simply thinks, “Praise the Lord.”
Since 1985 Jack has worked as a workshop manager for the Stark County MRDD at the Western Stark Center in Massillon. “By that point, I was raising children with disabilities and those experiences with them led me to want to use my degree and talents in that field. In the early 1990's Jack earned his masters degree in counseling and human development at Walsh University.
Around this time, when his several of his children became involved with theater, Jack was encouraged to try out for some singing roles. One of his first theater experiences was with the Player's Guild's Christmas Carol production. “It was a learning experience because as a soloist, you sing the melody. I had to learn about choral works.” He'd played trumpet in high school but never sang until he cantored at St. Peter's Church in Akron. “When we began singing songs in English, I was one of only one or two people who had the guts to get up there and sing.” He'd been cantoring at North Canton's St. Paul's since 1975.
A golden opportunity with St. Paul's presented itself to Jack, right when he needed it most. “The kids were starting to head to college and my wife and I had just talked about me perhaps looking for some odd jobs to earn some extra money.” St. Paul's was looking for a new music minister and he was able to work with the church to create a part-time position. Jack still leads the congregation in song on Sundays, but he also coordinates the adult and children's choirs, along with the Instruments of Christ, and other musical aspects of the liturgy. “I'm the person who is in charge of keeping it all together. I love having the privilege of doing the music at St. Paul's.” He said his involvement with the church on that level has deepened his faith. A very spiritual person, Jack said, “The more you discover, the more you find that you don't know.”
After 35 years of marriage, Carol, a certified lactation consultant and Jack still make time to enjoy each other's company by taking walks, riding bikes, and gardening.
Jack's recommends that everyone should “have music in your life. If you don't play something, and don't sing, at least you can listen.” Jack added, “Have God in your life because God is love.”