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Semper Fidelis Fran

Well...what can be said that hasn't already been written here or discussed among family and friends. Fran was certainly "a man in full." His gererosity among those he touched was legendary. Thanks to Fran, and his loving wife Mary, my daughters were able to attend the colleges of their choice, which has served them both very well as they've advanced in their professional lives.

Fran was a terrific conversationalist. He could (and would) opine intelligently on almot any topic, from politics, to history, to engineering, or sports (Especially UConn women's baskets and N Y Yankee baseball, as priorily noted). And if you tried to B S your way through any conversation, he wasn't afraid to call you on it.

I never once came away from a discussion with him without learning something.

No recollection of Fran would be complete without a "setback" story. When my daughter Julia was quite young, 7 or 8 at the most, she spent over a week playing cards by herself, learning the game, in anticipaton of joining a post picnic round at my parents' house. When the sides were chosen, Fran looked somewhat incredeously at his first-time playing partner, kinda of a "shrimp" really, and gave her two sentences of advice--"Ace deuce, no use," and "Don't bid on sh__"

Words I've tried to live by beyond setback.

In closing, in keeping with Douglas's Irish theme:

"Mo Ghile Mear" (Our Hero)

Paddy Maloney and Sean Macreamoinn

"Se/mo laoch, mo Ghile Mear

Se/mo Chaesar Ghile Mear

Suan na/ se/an ni/bufuareas fe/in

O/ chuaigh i gce/in mo Ghile Mear

"Grief and pain are all I know

My heart is sore

My tears a'flow

We saw him go...

No word we know of him...

"A proud and gallant cavalier

A high man' scion o gentle mean

A fiery blade engaged to reap

He'd break the bravest in the field

"Come sing his praise as sweet harps play

And proudly toast his noble fame

With spirit and his mind aflame

So wish him strength and length of day"

Au Revoir Fran

Ken

Posted by Ken Senerth
Friday May 8, 2015 at 4:15 pm
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