Frances B Shoemaker's Obituary
Frances Shoemaker passed away peacefully on the morning of January 15, 2022 at Evergreen Manor in Oshkosh. She was born on November 4, 1933 in Evanston, IL to Frances (Border) and William Byrnes. She married Charles Thomas Shoemaker on August 31, 1957, a union that lasted 54 years until his death in 2011.
Fran’s family moved to River Edge, NJ when she was a young child and she graduated from Hackensack High School in 1951. She attended secretarial school in New York City and found a position in the city as a receptionist in a journalistic setting. After she married Charles (Tom), she moved to Norwich, CT and later to Oshkosh, WI to raise her family. When her children were older, she went back to school to earn an Associates Degree in Social Work at the University of WI-Oshkosh.
Fran found peace and purpose in her faith and was an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church for over 40 years. She was a member of PEO, Daughters of the King, and The Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity. She served her church as Eucharistic Minister, paying particular attention to those who were unable to receive the sacrament in church, visiting parishioners in their home and care settings. She also chaired the flower committee and sang in the church choir.
A bright and gentle soul, Fran was quick to find the joy and beauty in life. She adored her family and cherished her many friendships. She remained socially active well into her later years, enjoying lunches, walks, hikes in the woods, book clubs, and movies with her friends. Fran was known for her notes or calls with words of support and encouragement. She cherished her baby grand piano, taking lessons well into her 80’s. Every family member was honored with a piano rendition of “Happy Birthday” each year. She found great joy in her beautiful garden. Having spent many summers as a teen at Cape Cod sailing, swimming and digging for clams, she longed for the smell of sea salt air and the feeling of sand between her toes, and was able to frequent the Cape again in later years with her family. She regaled her grandchildren with her dance moves and impressed them with the “Floss”.
Fran is survived by her son Jeffrey Shoemaker and partner Julianne Kanugh of Menasha, WI, son Eugene (Carol) Shoemaker of Waukesha, WI, daughter Nancy (Keith) Mitchell of North Andover, MA, granddaughters Hannah Mitchell of North Andover, Katie and Emily Shoemaker of Waukesha, WI, grandson John Mitchell of Chicago, IL, brother Joseph (Sally) Byrnes , and nieces Ann Lima and Susan Byrnes, all of Columbia, MD. She is preceded in death by husband Charles Thomas Shoemaker, infant son Joel, and nephew David Byrnes.
Funeral services for Frances will be held on Thursday February 3, at 2:00 PM in Trinity Episcopal Church in Oshkosh (corner of Algoma and Division) with the Rev Chris Corbin officiating. Family and friends may call at the church on Thursday from 12:30 PM until the hour of services.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations in her name can be donated to:
P.E.O. Foundation
P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education, donations.peointernational.org
And also the Salvation Army
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