Francine (Harmon) Howshan's Obituary
Francine “Harmon” Howshan, age 75, passed away peacefully with her best friend and husband of 55 years by her side on November 11, 2018 at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts.
Francine was born in Methuen, Massachusetts on May 15, 1943 to the parents of Francis K. and Mildred (Flanagan) Harmon also of Methuen. She grew up in a large Catholic family on Center Street, with her many family members and cousins, many of whom were like sisters.
Francine was a 1962 graduate of Tenney High School where she met and married her high school sweetheart and former basketball star, David L. Howshan who graduated from Tenney in 1963. They married on September 14, 1963. After high school, Francine went on to hair dressing school and received her license from the Fazio School in Lawrence where she met one of her life long best friends. She was a talented hairdresser that worked at several reputable hair salons in the Merrimack Valley. She also cut and styled her family member’s hair for years. When they started their family, Francine chose to stay home and raise their 3 children and was very active in their extra-curricular activities. She was instrumental in the formation of the South Lawrence West Girls Softball Program where she was the “1st” Vice-President of the Girl’s League and served on the Board of Directors for years. She coached both her daughters’ little league teams, the Indians and Royals. Her proudest moment came when she coached the Senior League All-Star Team to the Mass State Champs! She was an avid bowler and participated in the women’s league at Stadium Lanes in Lawrence. As her children got older, she re-entered the work force as a documentation specialist at Gould-Modicon, Bard, GCA and GI Dynamics. In the workplace, Francine met some life-long friends that became more like family. She was a very knowledgeable, hard-working employee that had a long and successful working career which ended in December 2013. She most recently was a member of the Concord MA Lions.
Francine was the Matriarch of her family…family was everything to her… from the unconditional, forever kind of love for her best friend, her husband, Dave…to the protective love of her 3 children…to the love that had no end for her 6 grandchildren…she loved deeply and she loved so many…and in return she was loved by all that were blessed and fortunate to know her.
Francine possessed many wonderful attributes…her kind heart was good as gold and she was the most classy, generous person you’d ever meet…always giving selflessly of her time to help others and openly welcoming all into her home…whether it be to cook her delicious home cooked meals, host a holiday party or summer cookout by the pool, take in to her home another family member or one of her children’s friends that she adopted or to give the many thoughtful gifts she gave…she most definitely was a “one of a kind”, extraordinary, remarkable woman. Of all her attributes, her strength stands out the most…she was by far the strongest woman we knew…and throughout her battle with liver disease it was that strength, along with her deep love for her family that kept her fighting until the very end. She will be deeply missed by her family and all the hearts she touched. Although she left us sooner than we’d like…her legacy will forever shine on in her children and grandchildren and in the hearts of all that loved her.
Preceded in death were her parents, Francis K. Harmon and Mildred (Flanagan) Harmon of Methuen, MA; her husband’s parents, Alfred Howshan and Effie (Kaled) Howshan of Methuen, MA; sister, Mary L. (Harmon) and her husband Michael Afienko of Methuen, MA.
Francine is survived by her husband, David L. Howshan of Concord, MA; her three children, Catherine L. Roland and husband Kenny (deceased) of Lockhart, TX, David L. Howshan Jr. of West Palm Beach, FL, Christine Belanger and her husband Kevin of Haverhill, MA; six grandchildren, Cameron M. Belanger, Kendall M. Belanger, Kennedy C. Roland, Kadyn M. Belanger, Benjamin Howshan and Brody Howshan; sister, Thomasine Flanagan of Littleton, MA; uncle, James Howshan of Concord, MA; cousin, Donna Rossi and husband Roy of No. Andover, MA; several cousins, nieces and nephews.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our family members and friends for the outpouring of uplifting and kind words, thoughts, prayers and love that was shown to us throughout this difficult time. We are grateful and blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people that we have shared so many beautiful memories with. In addition, we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the doctors and wonderful caring nurses that provided expert care, compassion, and love to Fran while at Emerson Hospital in Concord, MA.
Services will take place at Breen’s Funeral Home at 122 Amesbury Street in Lawrence, Massachusetts on Sunday, November 18, 2018 from 4:00-7:00. A spiritual service will be held immediately afterwards at 7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Monday, November 19 at Breen’s at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be private and take place at a later date. For online condolences and other information please visit us at www.breenfuneralhome.com.
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