Mann, Frances
MADISON - Frances Mann, age 95, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and steadfast member of Madison's Jewish community, passed away Friday, January 8, 2021. Fran was born in Madison on July 6, 1925. She proudly grew up in the Depression era ethnic soup of Greenbush neighborhood, daughter of William and Rose Frank, who ran a humble grocery carved out of the front room of their Park Street home.
Fran met her life-long love, Franklin Mann and they married in July 1947, and were married for 62 loving years. They started married life in Brooklyn, NY but her love for family and Madison drew them back here to raise their three boys.
Fran spent more than 25 years working at UW-Madison in the Genetics department working for the famous Professor Oliver Smithies. One of the highlights of her life was traveling with Dr. Smithies to Sweden in 2007 where he received a Nobel prize in Medicine for his work in stem cell research.
Fran was a story-teller and had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed her stories as much as she enjoyed sharing them. She made friends wherever she went.
Fran's biggest pleasure was her love for her family and she showed it always, unconditionally.
Fran spent the last twelve years as a resident at Oakwood Village. She felt extremely well-cared for while living there and enjoyed the time spent making friends with residents or weaving gifts for family and friends on the loom.
Fran is pre-deceased by the love of her life, Franklin; her sister, Minnie; brother, Alfred and their spouses. Fran is survived by her three children, Dr. Stephen Mann (Genie) of Prescott, AZ, Paul Mann (Diane) of Marietta, GA and Jonathan Mann (Shari) of Cincinnati, OH; and grandchildren, Benjamin Mann, Joshua Mann, Arielle Handel (Joshua), Scott Mann, and great-granddaughter, Marlowe Handel. The family wishes to acknowledge Fran's special "daughter-in-love" Helene Demont, whom she loved dearly.
Funeral services will be held graveside at 10:30 am on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at Forest Hill Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made out to Oakwood Village University Woods or Beth Israel Center, Madison.
