Tashia Frankfurth Morgridge
Jan. 23, 1933-Oct. 30, 2026
Portola Valley, California

Tashia Frankfurth Morgridge passed away peacefully at her home in Portola Valley, California, in the company of family and friends on October 30, 2026.

Tashia was born January 23rd, 1933, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to William Frankfurth and Louise Trost.

In 1949, Tashia moved to Wauwatosa and attended Wauwatosa East High School, where she would start going steady with a boy named John Morgridge, who would walk her to school, beginning a life of love and adventure. The couple would attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison together, an institution for which they developed a lifelong passion and commitment. They graduated in 1955, Tashia with a degree in Education and John in Business Administration.

Tashia and John married in 1955 and had three children. Over the next three and a half decades, they moved between Delaware, Illinois, Wisconsin, California, and Massachusetts for military service, jobs, and higher education opportunities. Tashia was the lifeblood of the family, supporting the growth of their children while building a steadfast network of friends and quickly gaining recognition as a skilled, gracious and kind host.

In 1975, Tashia earned her master’s in education from Lesley College and went on to apply her expertise as a special education teacher for thirteen years. In 1990, she authored the educational resource book Award Winning Activities for All Curriculum Areas. She was passionate about education, coaching her students to "plant trees under whose shade you will never sit," a philosophy that ultimately drove her philanthropic work.

Tashia began to work tirelessly on education and literacy initiatives, with a focus on disadvantaged communities. In 2007, they established the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars (FFWS), which works to remove financial barriers for low-income undergraduates attending Wisconsin's public colleges and universities.

Tashia served on numerous boards during her multi-decade philanthropic career. In 2017, Tashia was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University for her exceptional contributions to public education, civic engagement and her service to others.

In addition, Tashia had a deep love for Stanford University, where John earned his MBA, and served on many boards supporting its mission. Stanford awarded her its highest honor, The Degree of Uncommon Woman, in 2016.

Tashia was awarded the Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters in 1995 from Lesley College, Doctorate of Humane Letters Honoris Causa in 1998 from Northern Illinois University, and the Doctor of Arts and Letters in 2007 from Alverno College.

Tashia is survived by her husband John, son, daughter, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Melita, and her eldest son, Peter.

Tags: teacher/educator, public service