W. Frances Raymond

Fran Raymond passed away peacefully on Christmas Day, December 25th at the Alzheimer's Resource Center in Southington, CT from complications arising from Alzheimer's Disease. Her family salutes her fortitude and determination in coping with the dementia that robbed her of so many pleasures in her later years. Fran was an engaged and active participant in all of life's many pleasures as well as problems. She led an active life with her first husband, George Whitten, a chemical engineer, and traveled with him to Europe and Japan. After George died, she met and married Bill Raymond and they joined her three daughters and son with Bill's three daughters and were married for 38 years. Fran was a member of the Board of the Friends of the Hill-Stead and helped plan and run many of the events that contributed to funding of the Hill-Stead. She also served for many years as a member of the Friends of the Farmington Library, six of those years as President. She leaves her husband, Bill, her son Gary Whitten of Laurel, MD, daughters Debbie Whitten, also of Laurel, MD, Laurie Whitten of West Suffield, CT, Cherie Byrne and husband Pat of Huntsville, AL, granddaughter Dr. Shannon Burgess and husband Dr. Andy Burgess, granddaughter, Erin, husband Dave, great-granddaughters Megan and Heather. Stepdaughters, Dana Raymond of Ocean City MD, grandsons Brian Hoffman, Eric Hoffman and wife Kelley, Dr. Lynn Raymond and husband, Dr. Tim Murphy of Vancouver, Canada, grandsons Adreon, Luke and Evan, and Dr. Carol Raymond and husband, Steve LaBrecque of Altadena, CA, grandchildren Kyle and Lindsay. Fran and Bill's early married life was spent in Manhasset, Long Island before moving to Farmington in 1981. They both enjoyed many travels to Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, China and Japan. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Sunday (Dec. 29) from 2:00-5:00pm. Funeral services will be held Monday (Dec. 30) at 10:00am in St. James Parish, 3 Mountain Road, Farmington followed by burial in Riverside Cemetery, Farmington. Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Alzheimer's Association - Connecticut Chapter, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. To send online condolences to the family, please visit www.ahernfuneralhome.com