Frances V. Desilets

Frances V. Desilets (nee McAleer) 87, of Malvern, Pa. passed away peacefully on Saturday October 5, 2024. She was born on March 4, 1937 in Drexel Hill, PA, the youngest of seven girls to the late James B. and the late Anna V. McAleer (nee Gaffney). Her family eventually moved to West Conshohocken, PA where she spent most of her younger life and was always proud to be a “West Conshy” girl. She graduated from St. Matthew’s High School in 1954 where she achieved perfect attendance in her junior year.

Fran met the love of her life in 1959, the late Roland B. Desilets Sr. (Desi) and married him on October 15, 1960. They welcomed four children (Roland Jr., Barbara Ann, Thomas and Michele) between 1961-1972.

Fran devoted her life to her children, her husband and her church, St. Patrick’s in Malvern, where she was an active member for 60+ years. She ran the Million Dollar Adventure, the Women’s Guild bus trips (which were epic!), she served as a sponsor for converts in RCIA and was a Eucharistic Minister. She also ran the Thanksgiving Day and All Souls Day breakfasts, not to mention all of the time spent as Home Room Mother and Lunch Monitor for her four children when they attended St. Patrick’s School!

When her youngest daughter (Michele) was in high school, Fran decided to get paid to work:) and was a bookkeeper at Milford Null Modem in Malvern for a few years and then in 1990 began working as the receptionist at JCPenney salon in King of Prussia, PA. This was a job she really enjoyed and was very good at, until she retired in 1997.

Fran lost her beloved husband on April 5, 2010 and spent the next few years living on her own until she moved in with her daughter, Michele and her husband, Dave in 2014 to Palmyra, PA. In 2017, Michele and Dave were able to move her back into her Malvern home, where she had lived with her husband since 1964, and she spent the remainder of her life there with Michele, Dave and their many dogs.

Fran suffered another heartbreaking loss when her oldest son, Roland Jr., died suddenly on December 18, 2023.

Fran had a childlike spirit and preferred being around the “young people” rather than those her own age, except for her sisters, whom she loved going to lunches and spending time with down the shore. She enjoyed summers by the pool in her backyard or in Sea Isle City, NJ. She had an infectious smile, which everyone that knew her, remembers and she always had an opinion to share about your hair, or your clothes, or your shoes (she loved shoes!). She will be missed everyday by all those who knew her and her fun loving spirit. She truly was the best Mom ever!

Fran was predeceased by her husband, son, and parents, as mentioned above and four sisters. She is survived by her children Barbara Ann Lawrie (Bill), Thomas (Amy), Michele Reel (Dave), her sisters Elizabeth (Lee) Brandt and Cecilia (Ceil) Moore. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren, whose love carried her through the heartaches she suffered and the multiple physical ailments throughout her life that she overcame time and again. She loved being their Nana!

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church in Malvern, PA at 11:00AM on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Interment will immediately follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, PA.

Friends and relatives are also invited to attend a viewing at Alleva Funeral Home on Friday, October 18, 2024 from 6-8pm at 1724 East Lancaster Ave, Paoli, PA 19301.

There will not be a viewing on Saturday morning.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick’s Church, 126 Woodland Ave, Malvern, PA 19355 at www.stpatrickmalvern.org or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org

Flowers would be welcomed by the family.