Francine Marie D'Aleo

Francine M. D'Aleo, 75, passed away on the night of February 11th, 2023, surrounded by her husband, two sons and other loving family members. James, her soulmate, held her hand and recounted the beautiful story of their 1968 Orchard Beach engagement where they watched their first sunrise as an engaged couple. Throughout every last second of her life, Fran was a courageous, dignified, driven, elegant, fun, intelligent, loving, loyal, witty and beautiful Woman.
A Mass will be held on Saturday February 18th at 11am at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Poughkeepsie, followed by a Celebration of Fran's Life at Shadows on the Hudson beginning at 12:30pm.
Fran was the only child of Irene and Angelo Sarno, and is survived by her devoted Husband, James; her two adoring sons, Joshua and Jared, who are the luckiest men in the world to have been raised by her; the light of her eyes, her beloved Grandchildren Owen (10), Nathaniel (8), Nora (5), Annabel (3), and Lana (1); treasured Daughters in Law (Elizabeth & Nicole), Brother and Sister in Law, Nephews and other family members; and countless true Friends in Dutchess County NY and Ft. Myers Fl.
A doe-eyed girl from East 211th St in the Bronx who was born with little, Fran, who proudly took the D'Aleo Family name as her own, unwaveringly and selflessly dedicated her life to nurturing a successful, happy and fiercely tight-knit family of good people who have fun, laugh and enjoy life to the fullest.
From starting at 13 years old at Narducci's Bakery, commuting 2 hours each way even while 9 months pregnant for her Mad Men chapter at an Ad Agency, working her way up from the overnight assembly line to eventually her final professional role as a Financial Analyst at IBM, until the day of her retirement, Fran tirelessly used her courage and intellect to elevate her career for the betterment of her family. From a socio-economic and cultural standpoint, Fran was not setup to enter the corporate world, but she never once complained and courageously fought to become a proud accomplished professional and inspiration to her family and others.
As a Mother, Fran selflessly dedicated every single aspect of her life for 25+ years towards the laser focused goal of ensuring that her sons, Joshua and Jared, had the family structure, resources, support, values and love to achieve whatever they desired in life. Through her dignity, Fran instilled in her sons the pride and ethos to never settle for anything less than the best they were each capable of. Fran often worked multiple outside jobs at a time, while also taking care of the entire house, cooking and kid duties including using spare change to buy her lunch at work in order save for her children's future education. As throughout her life, Mom had an amazing multi-faceted ability to focus on driving her family to improve while also creating an environment of consummate fun and joy. Fran's house was the house all Joshua and Jared's friends wanted to spend time at, and as became a theme even more so later in life, most of her children's friends preferred spending time with Fran and Jim who were more fun and cooler than their two boys. From a childhood filled with incessant amazing memories including Dutchess County Fairs, road trips, family board games to a more peer relationship later in life including double dates, pre-gaming prior to Shakespeare on the Hudson, closing down the Grill at Legends post a round of golf, both Joshua and Jared at every point through their lives viewed their parents as an endless source of love and their best friends.
After meeting the love of her life, James, at 12 years old in the Gun Hill Neighborhood, Fran and Jim experienced a life together where every single day was filled with sharing new experiences, laughter, smiles, tears, embraces and love. Jim and Fran are true soul mates who fit like a ball and glove in every facet and their shared happiness, life fulfilment and love somehow grew stronger everyday over 63 years. The most important action of Jim's life was finding Fran as their love seemed predestined from above. There was no decision to be made after meeting as their connection, fit and mutual admiration was as natural as could be and evident for all to see leading to a lifetime together filled to the brim with joy and love. For Jim, every single day with Fran, was a day filled with pure happiness.
Fran may have saved her best role for last as a beloved and dedicated Grandmother. Though the time together was too short, Ashi created a lifetime worth of memories, impact and joy with her two grandsons Owen and Nathaniel including some favorite activities such as puzzles, playing cards, making snow cones, and playing mini golf. After a lifetime surrounded by boys, Fran was finally given the opportunity to demonstrate one of her most amazing abilities as a doting Grandma to her three cherished Granddaughters. Playing hide and seek and bantering with her first Granddaughter Nora whom she bonded so deeply with, reading Curious George and doing crafts with Annabel, and looking into Lana's big beautiful brown eyes that are mirror images of her own provided immeasurable joy to Grandma and her girls. The pain of these cherished golden years with her Grandkids being cut short will forever be grieved by those of us here but the memories and love will never be forgotten and forever be cherished.
Post retirement, when not up North with her Grandchildren, Fran spent her time at her new home in Ft. Myers FL. As with the rest of her life, each minute there was lived to the max which included hosting parties, dancing, shopping for or prepping to host her Grandchildren, decorating her golf cart at 6am for the St Patrick's Day celebration and golfing with her husband and friends (regardless of the score). One of the toughest parts of her life in FL for the rest of us was that there were usually only a handful of five-minute windows per week open where we could facetime with her between activities. Additionally, walking through a room in the Legends Community with Fran would take a minimum half an hour as she would know, embrace and laugh with almost everyone encountered due to the deep friendships she forged. Occasionally even Fran would have to 'take a day off' to quietly read by the pool and have a quiet dinner at home with the love of her life.
The words above feel as though they do no justice to what Francine's life meant to so many of us, but maybe that's the point: words can't accurately express real connection, impact and love. Frannie, Ashi, Grandma, Mom, Frog; we all cherish every moment we shared together with you in this life, forever grieve the hole left in it without you, and with hope look forward to the day we can embrace, laugh and dance with you again.