Jacqueline Frisco Pfennig passed away Dec. 12, 2025.
Jackie was born in Long Branch and lived her entire life in Middletown. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Dwight R. Pfennig. Dwight is a retired educator who served for over 42 years in a variety of communities and the state. Jackie is also survived by one son, Brian Paul Pfennig, a manager for Panera Bread; Brian’s wife, Michele (Motichka), a lifelong teacher; and three grandsons, Riley John Cooper Pfennig-Urban, Finn Paul Pfennig-Urban and Mark Raymond Motichka.
Jackie was predeceased by her mother, Helen (Freibott) Frisco, and her father, Paul J. Frisco, of Middletown.
Jackie earned a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Tusculum University, a master’s degree in reading from Kean University, and a doctorate in education in women’s issues from Nova Southeastern University.
She served Middletown Township throughout her 42-year teaching career. Jackie was an elementary teacher at Belford and New Monmouth elementary schools and a science and language arts teacher at Thorne Middle School from 1969 through 2011.
Throughout her teaching career, Jackie presented nationally and internationally concerning middle-level education on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: “A Comparison of German & American Educational Development” in 2003; “Women in Science” at Brookdale Community College in 2000, 2001 and 2002; “Gender in the Classroom,” at Kean University, 2002; “Transescents: Love ’Em or Leave ’Em,” at the National Middle School Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1997; “Middle School Delegation to Russia: What Did We Find?,” at the National Middle School Conference in New Orleans in 1996; “Strategies for Motivating All Students,” at the National Middle School Conference in Portland, Oregon in 1992 and 1993; “Motivating Students and Teachers in the Middle School,” at the National Middle School Conference in Long Beach, California, in 1990; and “Motivating All Students Through Encouragement and Enrichment” at the National Middle School Conference in Toronto, Canada, in 1989.
Jackie was selected by her students for inclusion in Who’s Who Among American Teachers” in 1992, 1996, 2002, 2006 and 2008. She gained statewide recognition as Teacher of the Year in 1986 (as part of a team with Barbara Pflug), and again in 2010 as an individual. She also earned a $25,000 New Jersey Governor’s Teacher Grant for her program “The Middle School Child Through Encouragement and Enrichment” in 1989, and served as president of the New Jersey Middle School Teachers Association in 1999.
Always a supporter and fan of middle school sports and activities that epitomized pride in school, Jackie served as the cross country coach while at Thorne Middle School and was well-known for sponsoring Elf Day and the Physics Day Trip to Great Adventure.
She maintained her reputation as a sports participant and enthusiast by completing five New York City Marathons, three Paris Marathons, and a number of local road races. It was not unusual to see Jackie doing the “granny shuffle” in recent years at Sandy Hook or along the beaches of Aruba.
Jackie will be greatly missed by her family, many of whom she tutored through their learning woes, or for whom she provided a lively, happy ingredient to holiday and birthday gatherings. She will also be greatly missed by many students who continued to say a friendly “hello” when visiting their favorite restaurants, shopping at Kohl’s, HomeGoods and Target, or simply acknowledging her as she went about her everyday life in Middletown. Jackie was always proud of their accomplishments as students and young adults.
She will also be greatly missed by her Aruba family, whose lives became closely entwined for very special moments every August. Jackie enjoyed watching children grow into adults, adults into parents and parents into grandparents and great-grandparents within the Aruban family.
A visitation was held Dec. 22, 2025, at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home in Middletown. A funeral service was held Dec. 23 at the funeral home; interment followed at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, you may choose to give a memorial gift in Jackie’s name to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at mskcc.org.
The article originally appeared in the January 1 – 7, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
