Francesca T. Byrne

July 12, 2013

Francesca Terdoslavich Byrne, 93, of 235 Walker St, Lenox, died July 12th 2013. Born in Cherso, Croatia on May 26, 1920, daughter of Anthony and Catherine Negovetich Terdoslavich, she came to the United States when she was nine years old. She attended school in Mt. Vernon, New York. Fran moved to Lenox with her husband John W. Byrne, whom she met at the 1939 New York World's Fair. She was employed at General Electric for 32 years, retiring in 1985. After her retirement from GE, she worked at the Marian Fathers for three and a half years, and for the Council on Aging for six years. She was also a volunteer ombudsman for 13 years, and was voted Volunteer of the Year in 2003. She was a communicant of St. Ann's Church in Lenox, where she was a Eucharistic minister for many years. She enjoyed reading, ceramics, and spending time with her family. Her husband, whom she married on April 19, 1941, died in 1948. She is survived by two grandsons, Thomas F. Cooney, Jr., of Washington, D.C., and Michael J. Cooney of Lenox, three great-grandchildren, Isabelle, Jack, and Seamus, her sister-in-law, Helen Terdoslavich, and her granddaughter-in-law, Christine Cooney. She also leaves many nieces and nephews and a number of family friends, to whom she was affectionately known as "Aunt Fran". In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her daughter, Kathleen Cooney Winsor who died in 2005, her son, John W. Byrne, Jr. in 1966, her sister Anna Terdoslavich in 2006, and her brother Anthony Terdoslavich in 2012. FUNERAL NOTICE: The funeral of Mrs. Francesca Byrne of Lenox will be Tuesday, July 16 at 9 am from the ROCHE FUNERAL HOME followed by A Liturgy of Christian Burial 10 at St. Ann's Church celebrated by the Rev. Christopher J. Waitekus, Pastor. Burial will follow in St. Ann's Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Monday evening from 5-7. In lieu of flowers donations in Mrs. Byrne's memory may be made to St. Ann's church in care of the funeral home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, MA 01240