Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Auntie Fran was a strong minded individual with high standards, high expectations, and a caring heart. She spoke her mind and was fearlessly independent, except with spiders - but we wont go there! As I was growing up, Auntie Fran was a strong female role model that inspired me with her education and career. She initially got her degree in nursing quite young and worked as a RN. This was a job that gave her both joy and independence as she moved from working as a nurse and later into management positions. But she didn't stop there. In 1992 at age 50, she furthered her education and got her Masters. This was an incredible achievement that she was extremely proud of. One of the greatest gifts that she gave to me was that education was equivalent to independence. Her hard work and dedication encouraged me to strive to do better in my own career; I would not be the person I am today without her. Auntie Fran had a love of travel. She has visited many countries including Rome, Peru, and many more. One of the things she loved most about travelling was all the diverse people she met on her adventures. She used to share her travels and what she learned on them with me when I would visit her and, in doing so, instilled a love of travel in myself. I will forever treasure those visits. Auntie Fran also had a strong love for her close family and friends. She was someone you could confide in and could receive advice from. Auntie Fran enjoyed discussing life and was not afraid to give her honest opinion on any topic. We shared many lengthy phone calls and visits trying to solve world problems over a glass of red wine. I'm so sorry I can't be there with everyone tonight, but I really wanted to say a few words about Auntie Fran. I love you. You will always hold a very special place in my heart.
