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- FRANC - Joanne Roberts
Age 91, of North Tonawanda, NY, born in Fancy Farm, KY, passed peacefully in her sleep on October 2, 2021 at Niagara Hospice in Lockport, NY after a fall and surgery in late 2020. At the time of her death Joanne was a member of Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in North Tonawanda. During the many years she lived in Kentucky she was a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mayfield and grew up and graduated from St. Jerome's in Fancy Farm, KY. Joanne is the loving mother of Gary (Jaci) Franc, Cheryl (Jim) Epp, Jim Franc, and Robin (Jim) Chilton, grandmother of Derek Franc, Jake (Nicole Driffill) Epp, Ashley (Patrick) Kiely, Luke (Winnie Huang) Epp, the late Aimee Jean Franc, Alison Chilton, and Abigail Chilton, and great-grandmother of Connor and Everly Kiely. Joanne was preceded in death by her sisters Earlene Wallace, Mary Virginia Jewell, Ivy Mae Witte Court, Nori Hawn, Annette Solly, her brother Charles Roberts and her dear friend, Jim Kubrick. She is survived by her brother Jackie Roberts, sister Carol Jones, and numerous loving nieces and nephews. Joanne owned and operated her own beauty salons in North Tonawanda, NY and in Mayfield, KY. She taught cosmetology in Murray, KY and then went on to work traveling Kentucky as a state salon compliance inspector. Later she return to school receiving a certification in Child Development and ended her work life as a Head Start teacher in Mayfield.
In retirement she moved back to western NY to be close to her children and grandchildren. One of her favorite activities in the last decade of her life was having coffee at McDonald's with her friends she called the geezers and geezettes. Joanne enjoyed quilting and had a flare for decorating, loved to travel, loved her family and friends, and had a soft heart for people in need. Joanne willed her body to the University of Buffalo Medical School. She wished to have two memorial masses: one in NY where she spent half her life and one in Kentucky where she spent the other half. Her NY memorial mass and celebration of Joanne's life will be held on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 9:30 AM, at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in North Tonawanda, NY followed by a brunch. Plans for the KY Memorial Mass and Celebration of Joanne's Life will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mayfield, the summer of 2022. No date is known at this time. Joanne was given compassionate and loving care from Niagara Hospice in her home and at the hospice site during her last months of life. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, NY 14094-1231.
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