Frances Winifred Suarez

Frances Winifred Suarez, age 98, of Tampa, Florida passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. She was born January 8, 1925 in New York, New York, the daughter of Elmer and Julia Burgmaster and was a longtime resident of Temple Terrace, Florida.

She attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, Cathedral High School and Manhattanville College (New York City), graduating with a Degree in Nursing and went on to train as a Registered Nurse at French Hospital. This is where she met her beloved George and married in 1948. Their love affair spanned 72 years until his passing in 2020. Raising their 8 children became her full-time job until the early 1980’s when she returned to nursing working in the AIDS ward at Tampa General Hospital and later Hillsborough County Health Clinic. She loved dancing and traveling, but her greatest passion was always her children and her grandchildren.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George J. Suarez, MD; her sister, Doris Kroeger and brother, John Burgmaster.

She is survived by eight children; George Jr. (Patti), Steven (Cherie), Mary Elizabeth Scott (Crawford), James, Michael (Andrea), Frances Alu (Jim), Ken (Becky) and John (Danette); two sisters, Ellen Cottingham and Julie Howard; 21 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends between 6-8 pm on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at Blount and Curry, Terrace Oaks Chapel, 12690 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 am on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9715 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace. Interment in Myrtle Hill Memorial Park will follow the Mass.