Francis L. Whitmarsh Jr.

Francis L. Whitmarsh Jr. (Frank), 95, died peacefully at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington CT on April 26th 2020. He was a resident at Keystone Place in Torrington, CT. where he received exceptional care. Frank was born on December 17th 1924 in New York City to the late Francis and Mildred (Ingersol) Whitmarsh. He had an elder sister, Anne Whitmarsh Close. Frank attended ST Paul's School, Concord NH, and Harvard University (thanks to the G.I. bill of rights) from which he graduated in 1948. A decorated Veteran of WWII, Frank met his first wife Madeleine Lambert soon after landing in Normandy. He fought with distinction in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded a Bronze star for his actions. After working at Leggett and Co. New York, his family's wholesale grocery business, he moved to Paris France with his family in 1960 to take a senior position with Nabisco. Later he made a change in career and joined a stock brokerage firm. After living in Paris for 60 years, he returned to Connecticut in 2014 to be closer to his daughters. Fluent in French and German he had a great passion for accumulating knowledge, but most of all history, literature and classical music. Throughout his life, Frank had an unquenchable thirst to always learn more. We called him a living encyclopedia. In his very later years, he taught himself Spanish, wrote snippets of his life and discovered a passion for writing poetry. Because of his own involvement, he was active for many years in Groups (of an anonymous nature) that help others with problems of drug and alcohol addiction. He is survived by his daughters Andrea Wagner (Whitmarsh), Pauline Whitmarsh, Marie Whitmarsh and his son Francis Whitmarsh III (Terry) from his first marriage; by his second wife Nesta Whitmarsh and their daughters Sarah Fall Whitmarsh and Mary Whitmarsh Maaouni; sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife Madeleine, and his sister Anne. Frank was a wonderful friend and loved by many. He will be remembered as being loving, funny, romantic, unpredictable and unique. The Cremation Society of Connecticut (CremationCT.com) is in charge of arrangements. A Family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.