Geraldine “Dodie” Isabel Franssen

Dodie passed away peacefully at the age of 85 years, surrounded by family, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Dodie will be remembered as a lover of books, long baths and writing poetry, as a woman who could and did whip up a dinner for dozens with ease and a cake from scratch every day, and as a mother and grandmother whose crocheted blankets will warm generations of her family for years to come. She was employed by the Calgary Catholic School District as a school secretary from 1967 to 1978. Her overseas adventures with her husband Bob gave her the chance to live in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Athens (Greece), and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and to travel around the globe with him. She returned to Canada and to the Calgary Catholic School district in 1984 and worked for the district until her retirement in 1997. She will be remembered lovingly by her beloved husband of 64 years, Robert (Bob) Franssen, her daughter Kelly (Tom), daughter-in-law Margaret, sons Kim, Brad (Maria), Mark (Deanna), and Dean (Deborah); her grandchildren Danielle, David, Clay, Tyler, Amber, Jeremy, Stephanie, Christopher, Iylish, Nathaniel, and Jonathan; her great-grandchildren Luke, Isaac, Delayne, Eleanor, Olivia, Emerson, and Ava; brother Jim Hughes and sister Pat Shier. Dodie was predeceased by son Jim, parents John and Isabel Hughes, and six siblings. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice or to the Parkinson’s Society. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family via the website www.fostersgardenchapel.ca.