Obituary of Noel M. Francese

Noel M. Francese, 69, departed this life June 1, 2007, at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ, after a courageous four-year battle with lung cancer. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, on December 17, 1937 to Olga Piscopo Francese and the late Noel Francese. He graduated from Plainfield High School in 1955 and was a graduate of Rutgers University. He lived in North Plainfield for 32 years before moving to Warren 15 years ago. After starting his career at Federal Pacific in Newark, Noel worked at Lincoln Electric Products Co. in Union as Vice President for the past 37 years. He also worked at Drier's Sporting Goods during high school and continued working there part time for fifteen years. He served on the North Plainfield Board of Education from 1980 to 1986, serving two years as President. Noel was a member of the Knights of Columbus Watchung Council 552 and an active member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in North Plainfield. His favorite pastimes were spending time with family, reading, traveling, and golfing. Surviving are his mother Olga Francese; his loving wife of 48 years Ann Townley Francese; his daughter Susan Francese of Warren, NJ; daughter Jennifer Francese Romanoski and son-in-law Matthew of Hillsborough, NJ; his son Andrew Francese and daughter-in-law Kelly of Scituate, MA. A son, John Scott Francese, predeceased him in 1981. Also surviving are his five adoring grandchildren Christopher, Joey, and Alec Romanoski; Julia and Erin Francese, and devoted sister-in-law Donna Townley Carder and nephew Patrick Molloy of Hagerstown, MD. The funeral will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at 9:45 a.m. in the Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Boulevard, Watchung followed by a 11 a.m. Mass of Resurrection at St. Joseph R.C. Church, North Plainfield. Interment at Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains. Visitation will be on Monday from 2-4 to 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cancer Center at Overlook Hospital, 99 Beauvoir Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902 or St. Joseph's Church Renovation Fund, 41 Manning Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ