Frances S. Thompson

Our dear Aunt Frankie (Frances Smith Thompson), who celebrated her 105th birthday on May 28, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2021.  She is the last of the eight Smith siblings and will be greatly missed by her extensive family of nieces and nephews and all their children, grandchildren, and friends. Aunt Frankie always had a warm smile and a kind word for her family and many friends.

I am lucky to have married into this large, loving Irish Catholic family years ago and to have spent many happy and sad hours celebrating all of life’s events with them. I lost both of my parents before Joe and I were married, including my dad the week of our wedding. Since I came from a small family, I have appreciated the tight-knit Smith-Mooney-Leahy-Dressel-Thompson clan, the 45 or so first cousins, and the couple of hundred family and friends who attended Aunt Frankie’s birthday parties from her 90th on.

A special word of thanks to all the cousins who visited Aunt Frankie at Arbor Terrace. My heartfelt recognition goes to Greg Dressel and his wife Nita who devoted themselves to this great lady’s care and happiness. Greg, you were her rock! There are not enough words of thanks to express the family’s appreciation for all you and Nita have done for Aunt Frankie over the years.

I will miss Aunt Frankie’s legendary coffeecake, her gentle sense of humor, sweet singing voice, and strong faith. Think about the world she was part of from 1916 to 2021 and the amazing events she lived through and witnessed. I believe she is reunited now with the other Smith girls, all talking at once, and her beloved brothers and husband.

Thanks to the team and staff at Arbor Care for their kindness to Aunt Frankie. They genuinely cared about her! Special recognition goes to Monica, Theresa, and Perpetua, and the many others who so often told her they loved her - and she responded in kind. They went above and beyond their care duties to curl her hair and paint her fingernails so she always looked her best for visitors.

Her passing yesterday was inevitable but nevertheless difficult for all of us who will miss her. It was a very peaceful passing and represents the end of an era. Sending love to all the cousins and their extended families and friends. We are blessed to have had Aunt Frankie as a role model.