Annabella Abellanosa Francisco

Annabella “Bella” Abellanosa Francisco (February 15, 1940 – April 4, 2022) lived a beautiful, dignified life. A discerning woman of exquisite taste, she provided comfort and solace while asking little in return. Bella was born in Lucena City, Philippines. She graduated from Mary Knoll Academy in Lucena City. She received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from San Juan De Dios in Manila, Philippines.

She went to the United States after graduating college in 1960. She went back to the Philippines where she met her huband (Late) Cipriano R. Francisco Jr. They had two children Maria “Didit” and Cipriano III “Jun-Jun”. In 1971 she took her family and emigrated to the United States to live in Brooklyn, NY. As a nurse in Kings County Medical Hospital in Brooklyn, she helped build the Neonatal ICU in a short time. In 1974 Bella and her family moved to Spring Valley, NY where she worked for Good Samaritan Hospital as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse. Her husband passed in 1975 and she was left to care for her two young children.

After her husband’s death, Bella and her two children moved back to the Philippines in 1978. They lived there for 3 years and eventually came back to New York and went back to work at Good Samaritan as a NICU nurse. She never asked anything in return and sacrificed all her energy and effort to raising her children and caring for her parents, Lauro and Natividad Abellanosa. She was also responsible for making sure her sister,(late) Rina, arrived to the US and later, also her niece (Cherry) and nephew (Eric).

Bella was also providing financial support for her late husband’s parents back in the Philippines. She was always caring for her family. She truly had a heart of gold.

Bella eventually retired as a NICU Nurse and moved with her daughter’s family in Goshen, NY. Bella loved to travel and has gone on many excursions. She always looked forward to going on a cruise. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, telling them stories of her childhood and experiences. An avid cook she would make the most delicious Filipino recipes. She loved to read and would read numerous books within a week. She had an eye for fashion, hence, she always looked fabulous.

Bella is survived by her extended family - son Cipriano III and his family, daughter in law Myra, grandchildren Clark and Marielle; her daughter Maria and her family, son in law Alain, grandchildren Christopher, Sabrina, and Gabriel; niece Cherry Lee and her husband Medardo, grandchildren Kristen and Husband Ernest and Matthew, nephew Eric and wife Cristina and grandnephew/niece Ethan and Sophia; her brother Lerry and the sparkle in her eye, her beloved great grand niece Celine.

Visitation will be held at Wanamaker and Carlough in Suffern, NY on Sunday, April 10 from 1:00 PM-6:00 PM , a mass for friends and family will be held on Monday, April 11 at Sacred Heart Church in Suffern, NY. Repast to follow.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wanamakercarlough.com for the Francisco family.