Obituary of Frances Marie Stasick

Frances M. Stasick, (nee O’Connor), was raised by her mother, Alice, in New York City. A spunky kid who grew up with her sisters, Dorothy and Marcy and her cousins, Tom and John Malley. She learned at an early age to stand up for herself and others. After moving to the Bronx, Frances married Joseph Stasick, a hardworking, smart and motivated young man who moved her and her family to Orange, NJ.

Fran was a dedicated mother, and she and Joe raised six children, Diane, Jean, Jody, Karen, Francie and Dee.   Active in Our Lady of Sorrows Church and School in South Orange as a member of the Rosary Altar Society, volunteering in the school Library, and as a den mother in Cub Scouts – Fran was always on the move.  Through Joe’s involvement in Boy Scouts, they developed many lifelong friendships that spanned miles as well as years. Fran truly cherished her friends.

As her children grew, Fran relished attending their activities whether they were dance recitals, wrestling matches or basketball games. A beach comber at heart, Fran spent many happy summers with Joe and their children on LBI.

Life wasn’t always easy, Jean, her second oldest died at the age of 18 from a brain tumor before there was much success in this field of medicine. A parent should not have to bury their child; it was a hardship that affected Fran deeply for the rest of her life. Fran was predeceased by her husband Joe, daughter Jean, mother Alice O’Connor, sisters Dorothy Murphy and Marcy O’Connor.  We are confident she is now enjoying her reunion with her loved ones and her many dear friends that have gone before.

Fran lived 95 wonderful years, blessed with family, friends and faith. She loved attending Mass and freely giving her opinion on the day’s homily. Thank you to her many priests and deacons who indulged her by listening to her wisdom and accepting her sometimes gentle barbs. As her children grew, they married, Diane and Rick Norton, Jody and Margaret Stasick, Karen and Edward Verso, France and Bruce Kennedy, and Dee and Kim Parker. Fran and Joe were blessed with grandchildren and she loved watching them as they grew; Tim, Kieran and Corey Norton; Griffin Stasick; Elissa Verso; Brownell and James Kennedy; Ceire, Brighid, Bryna, and Jon Parker. She cheered them on at soccer and lacrosse games, fencing matches, dance recitals and theater productions. She was so proud of all of them. A truly great joy for her was knowing the next generation had already begun with her eight great grandchildren.

Frances struggled with Alzheimer’s for over 12 years. As a family, we decided to not simply accept her decline but to seek a diagnosis and commit to medications to fight this disease. We are grateful for the additional years of joy it provided to us all. Through her last years, we came to appreciate the incidental joys that occurred – daily dancing with her in the kitchen, her ever-illusive kiss, the squeeze of her hand, being able to make her laugh and the joyful smile that greeted all the friends that she made at church.

We are grateful to God who gave life to Fran and Joe, and from them, to six children who have continued that cycle of life.  Of the many blessings of God, the family is an unbelievable miracle of perceived chance. Persons brought together by God who learn to love each other through good and bad times, supporting each other and their children through the trials and the joys of this life. We give thanks to God this day, for the life of Frances, her loving husband Joe, the twenty four lives that it created, and the hundreds of lives that were in turn affected through friendships, work and happenstance in the miraculous gift that God gives us on this earth.  

Relatives and friends are invited to greet Fran’s family, on Friday September 9^th, from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm at the Martin Funeral Home, 1761 Route 31, Clinton NJ 08809. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, September 10^th, at 9:30 am, at Saint John Neumann Catholic Church, 398 County Road 513, Califon, NJ 07830. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover NJ. To share memories with the family please visit ww.martinfh.com.

In lieu of flowers donations in Fran's name may be made to CURE SMA. Please Click Here to Donate. 

Cure SMA focuses research on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the number one genetic cause of death for infants. They fund and direct comprehensive research that drives breakthroughs in treatment and care, and provide individuals with SMA and their families the support they need for today.