In Memory Of
Frances Helen Degraff
1917
2013
Frances Helen Degraff
December 31, 1917 — April 25, 2013
Frances Helen (Brooks) DeGraff, 95, of Albany, N.Y. passed away peacefully on April 25, 2013 at Albany Medical Center with her family by her side.
She was born in Philadelphia, PA on December 31st, 1917; Frances came to Schenectady, where she obtained an RN from Ellis School of Nursing in 1939. Soon after on a blind date she met her future husband, Addison Jay DeGraff and stayed home to raise four children. They lived in Rotterdam, Niskayuna and retired to Sarasota, FL.
In Sarasota Fran became Director of Nursing at Doctors Hospital (1970) where she had worked from 1967 to 1977.
Frances and Ad also enjoyed many summers at their home on Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondack Mountains with the family and friends. Frances was an optimistic, interested, intelligent, warm person who always had time to listen to others in her life. She loved nursing, politics, science, crossword puzzles, mysteries and most of all her family. Her positive attitude was always an inspiration to others, a loving woman who gave everything to her family. All of her family and friends will truly miss her.
Beloved wife of 56 years to the late Addison Jay DeGraff (2/05/1997), beloved mother to Dennis (Carmen) DeGraff of Buena Vista, VA., Corinne DeGraff of Marshfield, MA, Frances DeGraff (Dan Wisniewski) of Middleton, WI and Mary (Arthur) Gordon of Schenectady, NY. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren; Jennifer, Laura, Kate, Randy, Michelle, Mitchell, Paul, Seth, Geneva, Patrick, Brenda, Brian, Jeff and Denny; and sixteen great grandchildren.
We want to thank her "adopted daughter" and neighbor Kara and Laurence for all their love and support as well as the caring Home Health Aides, especially Frosina.
Funeral services for Fran will be private at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made in Frances' name to the Boys and Girls Club of America, to the Alzheimer's Association Northeastern New York Pine West Plaza, Building 4, Suite 405, Washington Avenue Ext. Albany, New York 12205-5515 or to the Northeast Association for the Blind at http://naba-vision.org/donate.
She was born in Philadelphia, PA on December 31st, 1917; Frances came to Schenectady, where she obtained an RN from Ellis School of Nursing in 1939. Soon after on a blind date she met her future husband, Addison Jay DeGraff and stayed home to raise four children. They lived in Rotterdam, Niskayuna and retired to Sarasota, FL.
In Sarasota Fran became Director of Nursing at Doctors Hospital (1970) where she had worked from 1967 to 1977.
Frances and Ad also enjoyed many summers at their home on Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondack Mountains with the family and friends. Frances was an optimistic, interested, intelligent, warm person who always had time to listen to others in her life. She loved nursing, politics, science, crossword puzzles, mysteries and most of all her family. Her positive attitude was always an inspiration to others, a loving woman who gave everything to her family. All of her family and friends will truly miss her.
Beloved wife of 56 years to the late Addison Jay DeGraff (2/05/1997), beloved mother to Dennis (Carmen) DeGraff of Buena Vista, VA., Corinne DeGraff of Marshfield, MA, Frances DeGraff (Dan Wisniewski) of Middleton, WI and Mary (Arthur) Gordon of Schenectady, NY. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren; Jennifer, Laura, Kate, Randy, Michelle, Mitchell, Paul, Seth, Geneva, Patrick, Brenda, Brian, Jeff and Denny; and sixteen great grandchildren.
We want to thank her "adopted daughter" and neighbor Kara and Laurence for all their love and support as well as the caring Home Health Aides, especially Frosina.
Funeral services for Fran will be private at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made in Frances' name to the Boys and Girls Club of America, to the Alzheimer's Association Northeastern New York Pine West Plaza, Building 4, Suite 405, Washington Avenue Ext. Albany, New York 12205-5515 or to the Northeast Association for the Blind at http://naba-vision.org/donate.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Frances Helen Degraff, please visit our flower store.
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