Obituary of Frances M. Kielar
Frances M. Kielar, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at the age of 96. Born in New York City on June 8, 1928, to Italian immigrants from Sicily, she was the oldest of five children. Frances’s love of nature and the outdoors was balanced by her deep dedication to family and community.
She pursued her nursing degree at the New York Foundling Hospital/Bellevue Hospital where she met the love of her life, Eugene. She later earned her teaching degree at Hunter College, where she taught at the New York School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Frances and Eugene were married in 1956, and together, they raised six children: Kathleen (Carl), Stephen (Nancy), Loretta (Aurelio), Patricia (Robert), Maria, and James (Laura). She and Eugene built their dream home in Bridgewater, NJ, in 1963, where they lived for 51 years.
Frances began working for AT&T in Bedminster in 1981 and later received her Associate’s Degree in Computer Science in 1987. She retired from AT&T in 1998.
A devoted member of the Sweet Adelines, she performed in national competitions and sang with joy throughout her life. Frances’s green thumb flourished in her vegetable garden, which she tended with love and shared with her children, teaching them the value of fresh, healthy food.
Traveling the world, Frances visited Italy, Hawaii, and Canada, yet it was the time spent with her family that brought her the most joy. A lifelong member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville, NJ, her faith was unwavering. She spent her final years as a resident at Parker Life in Somerset, NJ, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Frances is predeceased by her husband, Eugene, her son, Stephen, and her brother, Lorenzo Piparo. She leaves behind a lasting legacy of love, devotion, and faith that will be carried on by her six grandchildren—Samantha, Dylan, Evan, Michael, Jenna, and Luca, and two great-grandchildren, Kyler and Kendall. She was the dear sister of Anthony Piparo, Catherine Villante, and Mary Mrus. Frances will be remembered for her ultimate commitment to family, her nurturing spirit, and her boundless love. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will live on in all who knew her.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 10 a.m., at Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, 1890 Washington Valley Road, Martinsville, NJ 08836. Cremation services will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parker Holiday Fund. Make checks payable to the “The Parker Employees’ Holiday Fund” and you can put “In Memory of Frances Kielar” in the memo.
Please mail it to the following address:
Parker
Attn: Nicolas Carr, Finance Director
1421 River Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854
