Frances Norton

Having moved to Johnston well into her 80’s, Fran always called Providence her home. She was a life-long resident of Providence and spent most of her life as a resident of Providence’s Eagle Park neighborhood where she was born and raised and where she raised her own family. She was the wife of the late Leo D. Norton and the daughter of the late Giovanni DeCataldo and Antonetta (Paolantonio) DeCataldo. She is predeceased by her daughter, Linda Norton and her husband Ron Matson, her brother Angelo DeCataldo and his wife Ethel, her sister Rose Angolano and her husband Sal, and her brother John DeCataldo.

Fran is survived by her daughters Teresa Norton; Susan Arruda and her husband Frank Arruda; Mary Norton and her wife Wendy Becker; Patricia Norton and her husband James Sheehan; Catherine Norton and her husband Gordon Gibson. Fran is also survived by her sister-in-law Cathy DeCataldo and 21 nieces and nephews. Her greatest joy in life was being a grandmother to 10 grandchildren and seven step grandchildren; and a great grandmother to six great-grandchildren and eight step great-grandchildren. She will also be sincerely missed by the many friends she made over the nine years she resided at Anchor Bay in Johnston.

Fran’s three loves were family, God, and the Red Sox. Using her decades-old rolodex of recipes, Fran enjoyed cooking memorable family feasts and baking her infamous Italian Christmas cookies, Easter ricotta and ham pies, and her any-day-of-the week homemade tapioca pudding. Attending church was a must every Sunday … always dragging her less-than willing family, who were often rewarded with a breakfast of homemade fried doughboys. Even at the age of 97, Fran never missed watching a Red Sox game and prided herself on knowing the starting line-up and the number of homeruns scored in each game. As a true Red Sox fan, she watched every game until the end, no matter the score.

Upon her retirement from the Universal Optical Company in the early 90’s, Fran volunteered for many years at the Mary House Food Pantry in Providence’s Smith Hill neighborhood and was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Pius V Church in Providence where she was parishioner for more than 80 years.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday, January 7 at St. Pius V Church, 240 Eaton, Street, Providence at 10:00 am. Burial will follow at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Kitchen Angels of Santa Fe Community Foundation, PO Box 1827, Santa Fe, NM 87504 or the Mary House Food Pantry at St Patrick Church, 244 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908.