Fran Kosalos

Fran Kosalos

Fran Kosalos, nee Thanos, passed away at home on November 16, 2020, due to COVID-19; she was 100 years old. Fran was the daughter of Greek immigrants Andrew Thanos and Anthie Shane, and the beloved wife of the late George, loving mother of James (Devorah Zeitlin) and Andrea Vigue (Jerry), cherished grandmother of Georgeane and James Vigue (Kim), beloved great grandmother of Lena and Aerin Vigue, beloved sister to Helen Haefer and fond aunt to many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a dear friend, companion and caregiver, Kim Gullickson.

Fran was a 1939 graduate of Marquette University's dental hygienist class and she used these skills to help support her family. Throughout her life Fran thought of others before herself; she was energetic, competent, feisty and had a fabulous loving sense of humor. She poured her life into her family: George, her husband of 62 years, her children and her grandchildren, who will always be grateful for her lifelong and loving support. Every summer for many years she helped her young children develop a deep relationship with nature and forests by living alone with them in the family's remote honeymoon cottage in northern Wisconsin where there were no roads, electricity or plumbing and they had to row a mile across a lake for groceries left by the postman.

She and husband George always collaborated to help their children identify and develop their innate talents and support them in obtaining higher education. She was a brave and compassionate soul who will be missed by many.

A memorial will be held at a later date when it is safe to gather. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests Fran's memory be honored with contributions to any environmental protection cause.