Fran Rubinetti

Fran Rubinetti, born May 15, 1950, in New York State, passed away after a lifetime dedicated to helping others. She was raised in both New York and New Jersey and throughout her life made her home in several places, including New Jersey, Maine, North Carolina, and Hyattsville, Maryland, where she lived for nearly 20 years before moving to Whitesboro, New York, in 2021.

Fran graduated from North Plainfield High School in New Jersey. She then earned a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Philosophy from Montclair State College (Montclair, New Jersey). She went on to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she earned two Master's degrees - one in Psychology and another in Public Health. She later completed her academic journey with a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Fran spent her adult years in the service of others, utilizing her deep knowledge of philosophy, psychology, and public health. While living in Wilmington, North Carolina, she developed and directed many programs addressing the needs of troubled youth and adults. She worked to secure housing for homeless adults and runaway teens, counseled individuals struggling with addiction, and supported those experiencing crises of all kinds. After earning her doctorate in Clinical and Community Psychology, Fran joined the staff at The Kingsbury Center in Washington, D.C., where she served as a staff psychologist from 2000 until her retirement in 2018. She was highly regarded for her work with students with learning differences and was especially known for her use of play therapy. A fellow psychologist once said, "They may come for the Legos, but they stay because Dr. Rubinetti understands and respects them and helps them become their better selves."

Spiritually, Fran followed the teachings of Meher Baba and was a devoted Baba-lover for decades. She also carried a deep love for Jesus, weaving together her beliefs in a life of compassion, service, and reflection.

Her interests and hobbies reflected her love for creativity, curiosity, and connection. She enjoyed hand-throwing pottery, basket weaving, listening to jazz, watching baseball, and working on jigsaw puzzles. She delighted in exploring and discussing spirituality, philosophy, politics, psychology, and other meaningful topics. She also loved watching movies, playing games, and telling stories. Most importantly, Fran cherished spending quality time with her family and friends and devoted much of her life to supporting people who faced challenges, always offering encouragement and understanding.

Fran is survived by her siblings, Roseanne Barletta, Julianne Rubinetti, Peter Rubinetti and his wife Laurie, and Patricia Rubinetti. She was a beloved aunt to Tony L. Barletta and his wife Xuan, Vincent Rubinetti, and Elena Rubinetti and her husband Anthony James Bavaro. She was also blessed with a grandnephew, Tony N. Barletta. In addition, Fran is survived by numerous cousins, their children, and grandchildren - all of whom she loved deeply.

She was predeceased by her parents, Anthony and Rosina Rubinetti, and her brother-in-law, Anthony Barletta.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity or to the Meher Spiritual Center, 10200 N. Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572.