Francine Hoffman

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, great aunt and sister, Francine (Fran) Hoffman of New York City and later, Greater Boston, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2026. Born in New York City in 1931, Fran spent part of her youth in Texas, where she attended Waco High School. She later earned an Associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. It was while working at B. Blumenthal & Co., a supplier of buttons, other notions, and sewing accessories, that she met her future husband, Arthur.

For more than 60 years, Fran made her home in Riverdale, NY in the Bronx, where she and Arthur raised their family and built lasting friendships. Later in life, she moved to Boston and was a resident of NewBridge on the Charles, where she was warmly embraced by both residents and staff. There, she was blessed to find love again with Fred Bellet, whose companionship brought her great happiness and comfort in her later years.

Fran delighted in describing herself as the family’s “poet laureate,” marking birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other key milestones with original poems, each crafted with wit, warmth, and affection. While she preserved these poems in a treasured notebook, she would often recite them effortlessly from memory.

She was an avid Scrabble player, relishing the challenge of the game and routinely trouncing family and friends with her formidable vocabulary and strategic play, taking quiet delight in a well-earned victory. She had a deep appreciation for Shakespeare and was a devoted admirer of classic cinema. Family and friends will fondly remember her unmistakable enthusiasm for “Parade of Things”, her unique and animated way of reflecting on her experiences and the people, events, and discoveries that captured her attention.

Fran was predeceased by her parents, Dr. Charles and Mae Moskowitz, her beloved husband, Arthur Hoffman, and her longtime companion, Simon (Sy) Giserman. She will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by her children Herbert (Susan) Hoffman, Ronald (Rifka) Hoffman, and Heidi (Larry Volk) Hoffman, her grandchildren Josh Hoffman, Adam (Kenzie) Hoffman, Rabbi Avi (Jordana) Hoffman, Asher Hoffman, Binyomin Zev Hoffman and Ava Hoffman-Volk, great granddaughter Coltrane (Coco) Hoffman, brother Ira (Susie) Miller, nieces Rabbi Stephanie (Andrew) Max and Libby (Jordan) Bem, and great nephew, Isaac Max.

May the memory of Fran Hoffman be an abiding blessing.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hebrew SeniorLife,1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131; Donate to Support Senior Care & Aging Research | Hebrew SeniorLife (https://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/giving)