FRANCES E. FLEIT

FLEIT, Frances E. (Wilson) Of Venice, FL, formerly of Danvers, MA, passed away on November 30, 2021, at the age of 98. She leaves three children and their spouses, William and Linda Fleit of Nokomis, FL, Steven and Jody Fleit of Rowley, MA, and Carol and Robert Cipriani of Beverly, MA. Her daughter, Deborah Gray, of Las Vegas, NV, preceded her in death three weeks earlier. She also is survived by grandchildren Adam Fleit and his wife, Brooke, Samantha Tattan and Daniel Cipriani; two great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Gerald Fleit; son-in-law Martin Gray; and many nieces and nephews. Born and raised in Worcester, MA, Fran was the daughter of the late Israel and Annie Wilson. When she was 18, a friend introduced her to Harold Fleit while she was working at Filene's. Hal called her after that encounter to invite her to a basketball game at Worcester Polytech. To her surprise she discovered that he had invited her to watch him play basketball, thus beginning a love affair that lasted for 70 years. They married in 1945 and were inseparable until his death in 2012. Corporate relocations took Fran from her beloved Worcester to Buffalo, NY, Closter, NJ, Milwaukee, WI, Fairfield, CT, and Chesterfield, MO but she kept a stiff upper lip with each move and always created a lovely home for her family wherever they resided. She was a gracious host to Hal's business acquaintances and the many friends they made over the years. Fran did work outside the home – holding jobs at Emery Air Freight in Connecticut and Monsanto in Missouri – but her true passion was volunteer work. She was a life member of Brandeis National Committee and Hadassah and gave countless hours to those organizations as well as various Temple Sisterhoods. She was a Girl Scout leader, spent time comforting nursing home residents and families of ICU patients, and even in her nineties while living at Brightview Danvers spearheaded the drive to raise holiday bonuses for the staff and gave tours to prospective tenants. Besides volunteering, she enjoyed playing bridge and golf, reading, gardening, and attending plays and concerts. Most of all Fran loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and extended family, all of whom she loved deeply. She was the baby of five, and the passing of her cherished siblings, Ethel Wilson, Evelyn Robbins, Muriel Schiller, and Henry Wilson, left a deep hole in her heart. Fortunately, their children and other nieces and nephews continued to give her immense joy over the years. Family members and friends remember Fran as a "very special lady" who touched people with her kindness, dignity, and grace. Dementia stole her memory but not her natural warmth and wit. She already is greatly missed. To honor her memory, a donation in Fran's name to one of her favorite charities would be welcomed (Brandeis National Committee; Perkins School for the Blind; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; WGBH). Burial will be private.

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