John E. Franzino

Franzino John E. Franzino, beloved husband, father, friend and colleague died on April 16, 2023, surrounded by friends and family after an unusually long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in NJ on October 6, 1956.

John is survived by his wife, Melissa Cohen of Red Hook, NY; two daughters, Jessica Lyn Franzino-Hess and her husband Andrew of Brooklyn, NY and Sarah Ruth Franzino of Denver, CO; two step-children, Caleb Stone of Brooklyn, NY and Luc Stone of Corvallis, OR ; two brothers, Frank J. Franzino and his wife Kathryn of Cresskill, NJ and Robert Franzino and his wife Barbara of Boynton Beach, FL; his former wife Susan Domeij of Albuquerque, NM; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Lucie (Maresca) Franzino.

We will remember him for his quick wit and infectious energy. Marathons, long bike rides and high altitude skiing were just some of the many passions which he enjoyed with friends and family.

Always on the move, John lived in many places which remained dear to him: Maine, particularly Farmington, where he went to school and learned to ski and stoke a wood stove; New Mexico, where he raised his daughters and enjoyed everything the mountains and desert had to offer; the Hudson Valley, where he joined the local ski club, trained for marathons and participated in group rides. Shortly after his diagnosis, he began living part time in Narragansett, Rhode Island, where he threw himself into kayaking and became Treasurer of his beach club, which he continued to do even during treatment.

After earning a BA from the University of Maine and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, John built an exceptional and fulfilling career as a certified public accountant and CFO, working in the worlds of commerce (at Labatt USA, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company and 22nd Century Group) and higher education (at the West Point Association of Graduates and Bard College). John was well respected by the countless friends he made during his professional life who value his ability to face every challenge with intelligence, wisdom and humor. Among the many weighty responsibilities of a CFO, John most enjoyed his role as a mentor to several generations of young professionals in the US, Europe and Asia who thrived because of his counsel and leadership.

John's joy for life was inexhaustible, and his family, friends and former colleagues, many of whom became lifelong friends, will miss him dearly.

A celebration of his life will take place (to be determined) in early Summer. Memorial contributions can be made to pan.can.org.