 Francine
Cavalli-Fitzgerald
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God gives us strength. Francine was born on October 13, 1948. Francine is from Camden and then moved to Cherry Hill where she lived with her Father, Mother, Sister and 2 Brothers. As a child, I did not know Francine but learned much about her childhood from her, her Mother and her Aunt. At age 8, Francine fell ill. She was diagnosed with infectious hepatitis - an often fatal illness. Francine was bedridden for an entire year. Through family love, her Mother's care and Francine's determination, she won that struggle and returned to school at around age 9. At age 10, Francine was fully recovered and healthy. It was September 1958 and - as Francine told it to me - her parents brought her home a gift to reward her good health and that gift was a baby doll. That baby doll was Pauline. As we know, Francine struggled through an illness at the end of her journey in this world but she was surrounded by a great deal of love. Some people go through this world without people who are willing or able to care for them - Francine cared for others and others cared for her during her entire life. When a close friend or family member leaves us, it is always a very emotional and difficult time but you can take comfort in the fact of knowing that a person like Francine lived her life to the fullest and had a life filled with good and blessing. The Francine I was blessed to know possessed a strong sense of duty and responsibility in all areas of her world. Francine had street smarts and steel determination. Francine started a life-long work ethic as a young woman. Francine worked hard in her life. Francine loved her family and wanted to take care of them. Francine was a very talented hair dresser and took care to maintain her profession and help support her family. Even though I met Francine at a late age, she taught me many things, almost every conversation became a lesson. We spoke about money, politics, where to shop for particular items - and, of course, my least favorite subject always involved food shopping stuff. We discussed our friendships, relationships and families. Francine loved to have food with her family and friends. After we met, we often ate meals together. Nobody made better sauce - rather I should use her term - gravy - than Francine. Since I am expected to be at work Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm, I was not able to enjoy the breakfast on Monday mornings with Donna, Cindy and Donna's granddaughter, Sophia. Francine would call me early in the morning and remind me of her plans to enjoy breakfast with them and then call me mid afternoon to tell me what a great time they had together - I could not help but feel jealous. Each Saturday, Francine's last customers were her Mother and Aunt Mary. After styling her Mother and Aunt Mary, she often drove them to Meadowbrook. After Francine took them home, she would go to the American Legion to enjoy the company of Evelyn and Charlotte. Her Mother would often join her at the Legion. Pauline and Nick would sometimes join both Francine and her Mother at the Legion later - even more fun followed. Francine often scheduled "lady" lunches with Charlotte which would usually take place on a Tuesday or Wednesday -- I was only able to join in that fun when I played "hooky" from work, but I would be told all about the love and fun that was shared. Oh how Francine cherished her Saturday afternoons. And Francine loved Charlotte's afghans and their lady lunches. Francine was a really big Phillies fan and knew the team players' names, statistics and playing records - she knew their baseball league histories. Flossie and Francine enjoyed many moments watching the pennant winning Phillies in the 80s. Francine and Flossie also enjoyed many food / cooking moments together. Francine took Pauline to Phillies games. Pauline and her Mother had 2 interesting stories regarding Francine and hair dressing -- both of these incidents took place while Francine was in hair styling school. * Francine bought an electric razor trim comb and Pauline was her test monkey. Francine did not realize the strength of the electric razor and cut a chunk of hair from Pauline's head, leaving a bald spot! Believe or not, Pauline continued to let Francine practice on her. * Francine's Mother had a friend who wanted a blonde streak at the front of her hair line. Francine was happy for the experience and bought all of the necessary products to complete this task for her Mother's friend. Francine performed the work and the woman's hair fell out of her head. The friend of her Mother's was of African descent. Francine was not aware that African hair required different technique and chemicals - Francine immediately enrolled in a special education program that dealt exclusively with this type of hair and nobody's hair ever fell out again! Francine showed me great affection. I remember her contagious laugh and her sarcastic laugh and her "I don't believe it laugh" and many other types of laughing. Francine loved to listen to me sing - o.k. that might not be entirely true. About a boy . . . I never knew Francine without Brian. During my many visits with Francine, she always conveyed her love for Brian as her friend, lover and husband. Brian and Francine. Francine and Brian. Francine and I never discussed any other romantic relationships from her life and I am sure that is because Brian is the love of her life. Francine and Brian. Brian and Francine. Their fondness for each other and love grew greater each day. The only other boy we ever discussed - the only other boy to capture Francine's heart - was her nephew, Joseph. Her cherub. Her prince. No disrespect intended to George and Alan - I know that Francine had great love for you. You can tell the type of person that someone is and whether they've lived a good, meaningful life by the people who they leave behind and whose lives they have touched. There are so many loved ones, close friends and family whose lives were truly changed by knowing Francine and I know that she has touched all of us in a different way. The things that we've all learned from her, and the memories we will always cherish of the times we've spent with Francine, will continue to keep her spirit alive forever and she will continue to live a life of good through each and every one of us. The spirit of the dead survive in the memory of the living. Like her Father and Brother - stolen too young but to remembered in love forever. God Bless.
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Age 57, of Cherry Hill died May 3, 2006, at Kennedy Hospital, Cherry Hill.
She was a hairdresser at Terry's Hair Styling in Cherry Hill for 30 years.
She was a member of American Legion Women's Auxiliary Post #
372 in Cherry
Hill. She is survived by her husband Brian Fitzgerald; her mother Dorothy
Cavalli; one sister Pauline Cavalli-Andriulli; and one brother Vincent
Cavalli; nephew Joseph Andriulli-her Cherub; and seven nieces
and nephews.
