Francesca Ann Hall

Francesca Ann Hall, age 85, of League City, Texas passed away on Saturday, October 19, 2024. She was born in Cushing, Oklahoma on June 10, 1939, to Ann and Al Waddill. She was lovingly raised by her grandmother, Emma Connors, and her uncle, Lillard Connors. Francesca was the devoted mother of Kimberly Joyner and Kecia Held, and the cherished grandmother of Cheyenne Faterkowski, Alex Held, and Joseph Held. In addition, she was the proud mother-in-law of James Joyner and Harold Held, loving grandmother-in-law or Patrick Faterkowski and the proud great-grandmother of Parker Faterkowski.

Francesca was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 38 years, Dick Hall. She was blessed to find love again with David Rosenfeld who was her constant companion for 18 years. She enjoyed the best of the Rosenfeld and Hall blended families, embracing and loving as her own David’s adult children Eric Rosenfeld and Robin Bernstein as well as their children Rachel and Annie Bernstein and Zach Rosenfeld.

Francesca graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Business. She continued her studies at Southern Methodist University achieving her master's degree in marketing while being the traveling Secretary for her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta. She was especially supportive of women in business, frequently checking in on them to offer kind words of encouragement in tough times and celebrating with them in good times.

Francesca was a trailblazer as a wife and working mother of two young girls. She was a remarkably successful businesswoman, excelling in every job she accepted. Francesca enjoyed the challenges of selling business training equipment to large corporations. Her outstanding achievements in her career earned her numerous awards, trips and accolades.

In the 1960s, Francesca outfitted the wives of NASA astronauts for a meeting with the president, lending them some of her own accessories. She had a passion for fashion that started in Nina’s dress shop and grew when she was a Buyer for Neiman Marcus.

An avid member of the Master Naturalists, Francesca had a deep love for nature and plants. She spent countless hours in her beautiful garden, tending to her extensive collection of plants and flowers. She truly had the magic touch and an amazing ability to bring nearly dead plants back to their full glory. Often, we would sneak some plants into her garden for her to nurse back to life.

Francesca also had a profound love for cooking and hosting her friends and family. Her home was always the hub for holiday meals and celebrations. She was known for hosting memorable dinner parties where no detail was left unattended: almost every occasion she hosted featured her favorite China, crystal, silver, music and, of course, flowers everywhere. Francesca’s special gatherings were equal parts elegant and equal parts relaxed and casual, and they always led to stimulating conversations.

Francesca was an active member of a Havurah group, and their monthly gatherings were a highlight of her life.

As many know, Francesca loved to travel and explore. She loved meeting new people and learning about different cultures. She had a zest for travel, having visited almost every continent over her 85 years. In the early 2000s, shortly after Dick died, she ventured out on her own to join a group in the Galapagos Islands. Her final trip to South Africa earlier this year with her family was an unforgettable experience.

Francesa enjoyed reading, the performing arts, music of all types, and dancing with David. She was always ready to attend a live show or performance of some type. And it was common for Francesca to call friends and family members to invite them to take advantage of her extra tickets to join her at the ballet or the opera.

In her leisure time, Francesca enjoyed playing Mahjong with her closest friends and backgammon with her family. She had a special fondness for dragonflies and saw every butterfly as a gift from God. Her beloved dog, Honey, was a constant source of joy and companionship.

Francesca was a proud member of the Choctaw Nation and a long-time supporter of the Episcopal Cathedral of Houston, and St. Thomas in Nassau Bay.

Francesca Hall’s life was a tapestry of love, adventure, and dedication. She was a model of beauty, grace, dignity and strength.

Francesca will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her legacy will live on in the hearts and memories of her family and friends. She is truly an unforgettable woman who made a huge impact on everyone who was fortunate enough to know her.

A memorial service for Francesca will be held at St. Thomas in Nassau Bay Texas on Saturday, October 26th at 2:00 pm.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospitals.