Tashia F. Morgridge, 93

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

Tashia was born Jan. 23, 1933, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to William Frankfurth and Louise Trost. She and her high school sweetheart, John Morgridge, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison together and graduated in 1955: Tashia with a degree in education and John in business administration.

Tashia and John married in 1955, and had three children. Tashia was the lifeblood of the family, supporting the growth of their children while building a steadfast network of friends.

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 13 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 and received many honorary degrees for her service to education.

Tashia is survived by her husband John, son, daughter, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Melita, and her eldest son, Peter.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to supportuw.org/giveto/TashiaTribute.

Memorial services will be held in January, with details to be announced later.