Antoinette M. Franke

Antoinette (Toni) Marie Franke, loving wife and mother, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2015 in Greenfield, MA. She was born in the Bronx, New York on November 5, 1917 to Samuel Bumbolow and Palma (Lauro) Michaels.

She grew up surrounded by her many Italian relatives. As a child she spent time in Burolo, Italy with her mother and extended family. She graduated from Evander Childs High School in the Bronx in 1936. She was fortunate to have been able to see Broadway shows, opera and ballet. As an avid Yankees fan she felt fortunate to have seen Babe Ruth play in Yankee Stadium. She married John R. Franke Jr. in 1937. They lived in New Jersey where they purchased and ran a dairy farm in the town of Washington. They worked hard to convert it into a state of the art operation. In the mid 50ʼs they sold the farm and moved to suburban NJ. Toni and Jack retired to Brattleboro to be near family.

Toni was proud of her Italian heritage. She was a wife, mother, and homemaker who enjoyed cooking, needlework, dancing, opera, painting in watercolors and socializing. She enjoyed gardening and was passionate about feeding and caring for the birds and other wildlife in her yard. She loved to travel, one of her highlights being an 80th birthday trip to Paris on the supersonic Concorde. She was a caring and giving person who gave generously to organizations and causes that were important to her. Toni lived a happy and full life. Her family will miss her dearly. All who knew her will miss her stories and spirited conversation.

She is predeceased by John Franke, her husband of 67 years.

She leaves behind a son, Richard C. Franke and his partner Francis Phinney of New Brunswick, Canada; two daughters, JoAnn Overfield and her husband Dale of Edgewood, Washington and

Beverly Stewart and her husband Richard of Guilford, VT; three grandchildren, Melissa Stewart LaMorder, Nolan Stewart and his wife Molly, and Erica Overfield; three great grandchildren, Audrey and Finn LaMorder and Leopold Stewart.

There will be no calling hours. A Funeral Service will be celebrated on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at 11:00am at KER-WESTERLUND FUNERAL HOME, 57 High St., Brattleboro, VT. Burial will follow for family at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to one of Toniʼs favorite local non-profit organizations, the Windham Child Care Association, 130 Birge St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 or Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Ave. Brattleboro, VT 05301.